Cycling Up With Your Friends: Common Women’s Health Rumors
Women’s health doesn’t get nearly as much attention as men’s health. There’s lots to still learn about women and their bodies. While many years ago other women might have had to guess or make up rules about why our bodies do certain things, now we have more knowledge than ever before. Yet, some of those common women’s health rumors have stuck around despite being proven wrong.
To help keep you in the loop, we’re busting some of the most common women’s health rumors below. Before you read the answer, see if you can guess correctly.
Myth: Before you start labor, your water has to break.
While most fictional stories show a woman’s water breaking before she goes into labor, only about 10% of women have their water break before their labor begins. Instead of counting on their water breaking as a measurement of labor, women should concentrate on the frequency of their contractions.
Myth: You cycle up with your friends and loved ones.
Menstrual synchrony is a medical theory that women who live near each other or spend a lot of time together sync their periods so that they all occur at the same time. However, while many women have reported experiencing this, there isn’t enough scientific evidence to prove it officially. In recent studies, the findings were inconclusive, with some experiencing menstrual synchrony and others not. This doesn’t mean the investigation is fully closed, so keep your eyes peeled for more findings.
Myth: Having period pain or pain during sex is normal, even if it’s dehabiliting.
It’s common to have some mild period pain. Most women experience that. However, extreme pain that gets in the way of your daily activities while you’re menstruating should not be happening. If you’re experiencing this, it could be a medical condition like endometriosis or PMDD. The same can be said for pain during sex. While some pain from time to time might be normal, pain every you have intercourse is usually a medical condition.
Myth: Most women don’t experience postpartum depression.
This is probably one of the most important myths to set straight. One in five women experience postpartum depression after giving birth, which can lead to serious mental health issues. If you are experiencing postpartum depression or baby blues, know that you are not alone, and consider seeking help to alleviate these feelings.
Myth: The earlier you get your period, the earlier you go through menopause.
False! The average age of women to go through menopause is 51.7 years old. This age does not change depending on when the person had their period.
Myth: If you have a urinary tract infection, drink cranberry juice.
While cranberry juice does help prevent bacteria from attaching to your bladder’s wall, it doesn’t help get rid of your UTI or lessen your symptoms. Only antibiotics prescribed by your doctor can do that. However, the benefit of cranberry juice for women’s health is still being studied.
Myth: I don’t have a high sex-drive or any sexual desire at all, so something must be wrong with me.
Not true! Some women have a low sex drive, others have a very high sex drive. If you don’t want to have sex at all ever, there is absoutely nothing wrong with you. If you would like to change your sex drive however, you can speak with your doctor to potentionally start hormonal treatments.
Myth: I have no symptoms, so I don’t have an STI. Even if I am sexually active, I only sleep with one person so I don’t need to get STD testing done.
Some of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have zero symptoms, such as gonorrhea or HPV. This is why you should have yearly STD testing done, even if you sleep with only one person.
Myth: Eating certain foods will help me get pregnant, while others will help determine the gender of my baby.
There are so many pregnancy-related myths we couldn’t fit them all in one blog. But if you see anything claiming that the kinds of foods you eat will affect your ability to get pregnant or change the gender of your baby, don’t believe them. While some of those rumors are fun, most of them are old wife’s tales and won’t do anything to impact you or your baby.
Myth: I am the only person I know struggling to get pregnant.
Did you know that 12 percent of women struggle to get pregnant? And that about 10 to 15 out of 100 pregnancies end in a miscarriage. So, no, you are not alone in your journey. If you would like to speak to someone going through a similar struggle as you, click here to find a support group from Resolve, the National Infertility Association.
If you have any more general questions about your health, click here to schedule an appointment with any of our expert gynecologists today. We’d be happy to help you work through any issues you may have or answer any questions or common women’s health rumors you want to be debunked.
