Having periods every month is normal, not toxic

Hyderabad: A social media user is calling having periods every month “not normal.”

The post reads, “that’s crazy we really grew up thinking having a period is normal & ITS NOT.”

FACT CHECK

NewsMeter found that the claim is false.

A study on menstruation-related myths in India states, “Menstruation is the natural part of the reproductive cycle in which blood from the uterus exits through the vagina. It is a natural process that first occurs in girls usually between the age of 11 and 14 years and is one of the indicators of the onset of puberty among them.”

It further adds, “Despite being a phenomenon unique to girls, this has always been surrounded by secrecy and myths in many societies. Taboos surrounding menstruation exclude women and girls from many aspects of social and cultural life. Some of these are helpful, but others have potentially harmful implications.”

According to a University of Utah article titled ‘Your periods is not Toxic’, “Menses is a normal physiologic function. It is one of the vital signs showing good health.”

Moreover, UNICEF says, “Every month, 1.8 billion people across the world menstruate. Millions of these girls, women, transgender men and non-binary persons are unable to manage their menstrual cycle in a dignified, healthy way.”

Rather, not having periods every month may create major health complications. According to Mayo Clinic, amenorrhea (absence of menstruation, often defined as missing one or more menstrual periods) can cause other problems as well. These include:

· Infertility and problems with pregnancy. If you don’t ovulate and don’t have menstrual periods, you can’t become pregnant. When hormone imbalance is the cause of amenorrhea, this can also cause miscarriage or other problems with pregnancy.

· Psychological stress. Not having periods when your peers are having theirs can be stressful, especially for young people who are transitioning into adulthood.

· Osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. These two problems can be caused by not having enough estrogen. Osteoporosis is the weakening of the bones. Cardiovascular disease includes heart attack and problems with the blood vessels and heart muscle.

· Pelvic pain. If an anatomical problem is causing amenorrhea, it may also cause pain in the pelvic area.

Lastly, you can read why your periods are irregular here.

Periods has been a sensitive issue for most women. In case you are facing some issues relating to your menstrual cycle, visit your doctor for further medical help and to figure out the key issues. It is natural and normal to have periods every month. What’s not normal is not having periods for months.