Menstruation or menstruation is a natural condition that occurs in the life of a healthy woman. However, this condition is not a simple thing that can be taken lightly. Many women still don't really understand the facts about the menstruation they experience every month. Are you one of these? 

That's the reason why Understanding menstruation and women's health is very important, but many facts about menstruation are still unknown. Come on, find out the facts about menstruation in the following article.

Interesting Facts & Myths about Menstruation

Below we will discuss several interesting facts about menstruation.

1. Less than One Glass of Menstrual Blood Comes Out

Although it can vary for each individual, generally women only lose between a few tablespoons to one glass of menstrual blood each cycle. As a fact about menstruation, the average amount of blood lost each cycle reaches 30-40 ml. It is known that 9 out of 10 women can lose less than 80 ml of blood at a time. Heavy menstruation can result in the loss of 60-80 ml of blood or more each cycle.

However, it is important to remember that the volume of blood lost can vary. Some women may feel they are losing more blood, while others may feel less. This can be influenced by various factors, such as age, health and lifestyle.

Knowing the amount of blood lost during menstruation can help women better understand their own bodies. It can also be an important health indicator, especially if there is a drastic change in the volume of blood lost.

Watch the video "5 Myths and Facts about Menstruation that Make You Curious!"

2. Endless Supply of Egg Cells

Women are born with approximately one to two million immature egg cells (follicles) in their ovaries. This is an unusually large number, considering that only about 400 of these eggs will mature and be released during a woman's fertile period. Every month, one follicle will develop and mature into an egg cell that is ready to be fertilized.

Most of these follicles will die as women get older. This process is known as atresia, where immature follicles gradually degenerate and are absorbed by the body. Although it sounds like a lot is wasted, this is the body's natural mechanism to ensure that only the best eggs are available for fertilization.

During puberty to menopause, a woman's body will undergo repeated menstrual cycles. Each of these cycles involves the maturation of one egg, which is then released from the ovary in a process known as ovulation. If the egg is not fertilized, the body will expel it along with the uterine lining during menstruation.

3. Menstrual Blood Is Dirty Blood

Menstrual blood is not dirty blood, as many people believe. However, as a fact of menstruation, menstrual blood is actually no different from the blood that comes out when there is a bleeding wound on the knee or blood from a nosebleed. It's just that menstrual blood contains remaining tissue from the uterine wall which sheds after ovulation.

Interestingly, menstrual blood consists of blood, mucus and endometrial tissue. This is a natural process of a woman's body that indicates that the reproductive system is functioning properly.

Apart from that, menstrual blood also has an important role in cleaning the uterus from tissue debris. So, the assumption that menstrual blood is dirty blood is a myth that needs to be cleared up.

4. Menstruating Women will be Attacked by Sharks if they Swim

This is just a menstrual myth, not a fact. There has never been a recorded report of a shark attack caused by a menstruating woman. You need to know, sharks are attracted to amino acids in human blood. However, amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, are also found in sweat and urine.

In fact, if you produce three times the amount of amino acids from sweating, urinating, and from menstruation while swimming in the ocean, the amounts have relatively no effect in seawater. After all, sharks are more attracted to movement and sounds in the water than to the scent of blood.

So, for those of you who want to enjoy a holiday on the beach or swim in the sea during your period, you don't need to worry about being attacked by sharks. Just enjoy your time and stay alert as usual.

5. Sexual Desire Increases During Menstruation

One of the interesting facts about menstruation is that your libido levels can go very high during your period. This occurs due to decreased estrogen and progesterone hormones. A decrease in these hormones can cause you to become more passionate and interested in having sex during menstruation.

Some women report that they feel more sensitive and easily aroused during this period. So, if you feel an increased sexual urge, it is normal and natural.

However, it is important to maintain communication with your partner and ensure comfort and hygiene during sexual activity. Enjoying this moment can be a way to better understand your body and your relationship with your partner. So, don't be surprised if your sex drive increases during menstruation.

6. You can get Pregnant While Menstruating

Even though the possibility is very small, there is still a risk for you to get pregnant after having sex with your partner while you are menstruating. As a fact about menstruation, pregnancy can be experienced if the process of ovulation or the formation of new egg cells occurs before menstruation stops completely. Pregnancy can also occur if you have intercourse on the last day of your period and ovulation starts immediately a few days later. Sperm can be in the uterus for 3 days. If ovulation occurs during this time, sperm can still fertilize a new egg.

7. Hormonal IUDs Make Menstruation Irregular 

Hormonal IUD contraception can mean you don't experience menstruation at all for the first year of use. Interestingly, even if menstruation is absent, normal menstrual cycles and fertility will return to normal at the end of the year after one year of removing the IUD. So, you don't need to worry about infertility which is often a misguided myth.

Additionally, some brands of IUD cause lighter periods. This is certainly good news for those who often experience heavy menstruation. In fact, some women do not experience menstruation at all because of the hormones contained in the device. This hormone can last for 3-10 years depending on the brand used. Thus, hormonal IUDs offer a practical and effective solution for women who want to regulate their menstrual cycles without long-term risks.

8. Menstruation from All Holes in the Body

Women who suffer from vicarious menstruation experience monthly bleeding not only from the uterus, but also from other parts of the body. Many women report bleeding from the nose, arms, lungs, breasts, digestive tract, mouth, bladder, eyes, and mouth every month following the menstrual cycle. This condition will generally subside after a few days. 

Even though it sounds scary and rare, vicarious menstruation is a real medical phenomenon and requires special attention from medical personnel. This fact shows how complex the female body is and the importance of a deep understanding of reproductive health.

9. Cold Weather Can Make Menstrual Symptoms Worse

Cold weather is known to affect menstrual blood, causing the blood to come out more and last longer than normal. Not only does it increase the amount of blood lost, cold weather can also trigger more severe menstrual pain. This fact about menstruation is thought to be due to lack of exposure to sunlight which helps the body produce vitamin D and dopamine. 

These two substances function to improve mood, happiness, concentration and overall health conditions. So, when the weather is cold, make sure you stay healthy and try to get as much sunlight as possible.

10. Age at which the First Menstruation Occurs Changes Over Time

In the 1800s, most women experienced their first menstruation as teenagers, with the average age being 17 years. But now, menstruation generally occurs earlier, namely when girls are 12 years old. Humans today eat better quality food than their ancestors, so they have more fat tissue.

These changes are not only influenced by nutritional factors, but also by environmental factors and overall health. Modern lifestyles that tend to be healthier and easy access to nutritious food make girls' bodies better prepared to start their menstrual cycle earlier.

Apart from that, increasing awareness of health and hygiene also plays a role in changing the age of first menstruation. With better knowledge about the importance of nutrition and reproductive health, parents are better able to support their daughters' development.

However, this change also brings its own challenges. Girls who menstruate earlier may face different social and emotional pressures than previous generations. It is important for them to get adequate support from their family and surrounding environment.

11. Duration of Menstruation is Equivalent to 10 years During a Woman's Life

From the start of menstruation until menopause occurs, women will experience an average of 450 menstruations with a duration of 3,500 days or around 10 years during their lifetime. Imagine, 10 whole years of your life spent just on menstruation! This fact certainly highlights how important it is to understand and manage menstruation well. Meanwhile, the number of cleaning products you use during menstruation, such as pads and tampons, reaches around 11,000 during the time period above. However, this can of course vary for each woman, depending on the condition of each woman's body.

12. Menstruation Affects Voice and Body Smell

Have you ever felt like your voice sounds different during your period? It turns out that menstruation can affect your voice and body odor. Based on research, hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual cycle can affect the vocal cords, making the voice sound hoarse or deeper. In addition, hormonal changes can also affect body odor, making it stronger or different than usual. This can be a sign for some women to recognize when menstruation will come.

After knowing the facts about menstruation above, you can better understand the menstruation you experience every month as a woman. You can also find out what you need to do if you experience certain menstrual conditions or symptoms based on existing menstrual facts. Make sure you don't get caught up in assumptions that are not necessarily medically correct, so you can better maintain the health of your reproductive organs.

References:

https://hellosehat.com/wanita/menstruasi/fakta-menstruasi/

https://www.klikdokter.com/gaya-hidup/perawatan-wanita/12-fakta-haid-yang-wajib-diketahui-wanita