Menstrual Periods – Five Common Myths to Overcome

Menstrual Periods – Five Common Myths to Overcome

Girls tend to have some preconceived notions about periods.  Some they hear from friends and some they hear from the media.  When you talk to your daughter about starting her first menstrual period, ask her what she’s heard.  Together you can sort through fact and fiction.

Here are five common myths you’re daughter might have heard and how you can help her learn the truth.  Knowing these facts will help your daughter be comfortable with starting her period.

1.      If I stay skinny, I won’t get my period.  Being underweight can delay the start of menstruation and can have an impact once periods start.  Being underweight is not a healthy state to be in, regardless of how models are portrayed in the media.  Support your daughter in having a healthy diet and a healthy weight.  Positive body image will last a lifetime.

2.      People can tell when I’m on my period because it smells. Proper hygiene methods are key here.  Regularly changing pads will help alleviate odors.  By itself, menstrual blood does not cause an odor.

3.      The sanitary pads will show through my clothes. Help your daughter overcome this fear by buying different size pads and trying them out before she starts her first period.  She can try different clothes while standing in front of a mirror to reassure herself that feminine hygiene pads will not show through clothes.

4.      If I use a tampon, I’m no longer a virgin.  The definition of a virgin is a woman who has not had sex.  Tampons do not play a part in virginity.

5.      Girls can’t get pregnant if they have sex during their period.  There is a remote possibility of getting pregnant during a period.  Your daughter should know that birth control should be used every time she has sex, even during her period. Read more at KidsHealth.org.