Rachel Sabnani, Period Pro from Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University
Rachel Sabnani, Period Pro
Menstrual Myths We Grew Up Believing — and What’s Actually True
Kids have the darndest imaginations—and our period phobic society perpetuates the wildest myths, all to the detriment of menstruating youth trying to figure out what’s what. Here are a few of my favorite menstrual myths debunked by a certified Period Pro and supported by evidence-based medicine.
- You can catch your period from your friend
False! As fun (or not) as it sounds to be on the same cycle as your squad, there is no evidence that periods reliably sync up with your friends, even after a year of living together. If you’ve ever experienced the solidarity of sharing a period, it’s likely due to chance rather than hormones. Your period will likely overlap with & then move away from your roommate because your cycle length often changes. All this to say, it’s always a good idea to have extra period products in your bag to help a friend in need because you never know when their time of the month may strike!
- You can’t wear tampons until you’re older
As if! This convenient period product that doubles as a nosebleed stopper is not just for adults. As soon as you can learn to insert a tampon safely (ie. as soon as you watch this video on the PEP YouTube channel), you are ready to wear one. This myth comes from antiquated beliefs about virginity that just don’t check out. People were previously worried about tearing their hymen, which we know now can happen just walking down the street and is NOT a good indicator of whether someone has had sex or not. Tampons are a great option for girls on the go, playing sports or frequently swimming and can be embraced at any age. Believe it or not, when you insert them correctly you don’t even feel them.
- Irregular periods=infertility
Irregular periods do not have the final say on your fertility. Especially in the first few years of having your period, it can be very irregular without being pathological. A normal cycle length (from day 1 of your period to day 1 of your next period) is approximately 21-45 days (every 3-6 weeks) in the first 1 to 3 years after menarche (the medical term for first period). If you’re worried about missing one or multiple periods, or you’re bleeding more than 8 pads/day, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor.
- PMS is all in your head
Wrong again! Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a medically recognized diagnosis. While many people experience one mild emotional/physical symptom 1-2 days before their period starts, clinically significant PMS is defined as at least 1 symptom associated with social or economic dysfunction (ex. not going to school, work or doing fun things you normally would) during the 5 days before your period starts and is present in at least 3 periods in a row. Clinically significant or not, your premenstrual symptoms matter to Health Care Providers! PMS typically occurs during the end of your luteal phase and resolves with menstruation, due to the interplay of the hormones being released from your ovaries and neurotransmitters in your body. The most common symptoms include mood swings, irritability, anxiety, sad or depressed mood, increased appetite/food cravings, bloating, fatigue, breast tenderness, headaches and hot flashes. If any of these are interfering with your life in a cyclical way (ie. every month), let your doctor know—it’s not in your head.
- Swimming in the ocean on your period attracts sharks
It has long been known that sharks have a strong sense of smell and yes, that applies to blood, but it is safe to swim in the ocean on your period this summer for a few key reasons. First, you may experience a slow of your flow due to the balance of pressures when you’re underwater. However, you should still wear protection as your flow does not completely stop. Pads will fill with water and not be able to absorb your period, so we recommend tampons, menstrual cups or period swimwear when swimming. Second, not that much blood is leaving your body. In fact, only 2-3 tablespoons of blood is actually lost during your entire period (3-7 days)—the rest is other bodily fluids and tissue. Thirdly, there is no scientific evidence that menstruators are more often attacked by sharks. In fact, men seem to be involved in shark attacks much more frequently, I wonder why…
So please enjoy your summer swimming! The exercise can help to relieve period pain as an added bonus 🙂
All this to say…don’t believe everything you hear! There is a lot of misinformation out there about periods, so make sure you are always fact checking your sources. A physician or trusted adult are your best sources of information, but know you can always Ask a Period Pro!
References
Cleveland Clinic. (2022, January 21). Does your period really sync with close friends? https://health.clevelandclinic.org/myth-truth-period-really-sync-close-friends
Hutchison, Trish. (March 2025) Standard PEP Rally Slides Animated [slides 26, 39]. Period Education Project. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1eneVrG2u4uOxLPcbwIttrZYI_JeZTycb/edit?slide=id.p26#slide=id.p26
Menstruation and sharks. (n.d.). Florida Museum of Natural History. https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/reduce-risk/menstruation/
Yonkers, K., MD, & Casper, R., MD. (2024, January 18). Epidemiology and Pathogenesis of Premenstrual syndrome and Premenstrual dysphoric Disorder. UpToDate. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/epidemiology-and-pathogenesis-of-premenstrual-syndrome-and-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder?search=premenstrual%20syndrome%20cause&source=search_result&selectedTitle=2~43&usage_type=default&display_rank=2
Yonkers, K., MD, & Casper, R., MD. (2024b, April 30). Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. UpToDate. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/clinical-manifestations-and-diagnosis-of-premenstrual-syndrome-and-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder?search=premenstrual%20syndrome%20cause&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~43&usage_type=default&display_rank=1#H3101670051