Every woman’s most loyal companion can be either a very welcome monthly visitor or a pain in the ass-area. Or simply a rather uneventful reminder of our frankly outstanding baby-making abilities. In any case, questions abound about what’s been called everything from the Red Fairy visit to the Red Tide, so we decided to check which questions trouble us most.
Google data shows the queries below as the most popular, so we posed them to Dr Nicola Tempest, MBCHB MRCOG DFSRH, from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Liverpool Women's Hospital, and expert at the charity organisation Wellbeing of Women.
Now let's get menstrual.
How do I calculate when my period's due?
Each menstrual cycle starts on the first day of your period (day one) and lasts until the day before your next period begins. Keep a note in your diary, on your phone or in a specialist app (yes, these exist) to work out a pattern that is unique for you. There are also various online calculators you can try.
I've got period pains but no period – what does that mean?
If you have never had a period but you have monthly period pains you could have something called an imperforate hymen. As we know, the hymen is a membrane that surrounds or partially covers the external vaginal opening, but what you may not know is that it can also stop period blood from coming out if it never ripped. Another type of obstruction could be the result of recent cervix surgery.
If you’re worried about not getting your period but figure you’re safe from the P word due to having period pains, don’t feel too relieved just yet (sorry). Cramps can be a sign of the pregnancy implanting and this can also cause spotting. The pregnancy can implant correctly, in the womb, or incorrectly. This is called an ectopic pregnancy and usually happens in the fallopian tube. If you have a positive pregnancy test and period pain, especially one sided, emergency medical advice needs to be sought.
Stress and eating disorders can also lead to skipped periods with symptomatic pain.
Can you get pregnant during your period?
A question often asked in a slight panic (or typed furiously into Google). In short, it is unlikely that you will fall pregnant while on a period, but not impossible. You are fertile on the days leading up to and around the time of ovulation, and if you have a short cycle you could be ovulating just after your period.
A typical menstrual cycle is about 28 days long, but some women have cycles as short as 22 days. If you have a shorter cycle, you could ovulate just a few days after your period ends. Sperm can survive in your reproductive tract for up to six days (you read that right), so if you have sex during your period, it's possible that the sperm may still be hanging around when you ovulate, ready to strike/fertilise the egg. I seriously think this should be more common knowledge.
Lastly, it's also possible to mistake breakthrough bleeding (spotting between your periods) for a regular period. So you may be bleeding right at the time of ovulation, when you're most fertile. If you were to conceive at this time, you might believe that you were having your period when you got pregnant.
What does discharge before my period mean?
A certain amount of vaginal discharge is completely normal and is due to the amount of hormones running through your body during the ovulation.
A healthy white discharge does not have a strong smell or colour, and you should experience no itching or soreness around your vagina. The things to be worried about include if the discharge has a yellow or green colour, is clumpy like cottage cheese (sorry), or has a bad odour. You could have a yeast infection, bacterial vaginosis or a sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea.
White discharge is also common as an early sign of pregnancy. If you have discharge and a late period, take a pregnancy test asap.
Do male periods actually exist?
Men don't actually have physical periods, but some men do have male pre-menstrual syndrome, in their case the very aptly named Irritable Male Syndrome (IMS). This is usually attributed to men experiencing a drop in testosterone, the hormone that gives them their sex drive. IMS can happen at anytime, as testosterone levels fluctuate during the day, but they tend to be highest during the morning and drop as the day goes on. Various things including stress and diet changes can affect men's testosterone levels, but IMS validates asking them if it’s “that time of the month,” or in their case, of the day, and then lawyering them when they deny it.
I'm about to go on holiday – how can I delay my period?
The ultimate trick for that beach holiday (or highly anticipated hot date). There is no guaranteed way of doing this, but a number of methods can help depending on whether you are currently on contraception.
If you take a combined contraceptive pill, you can delay your period by taking two packets back-to-back. You normally get your period when the lining of your womb sheds, but the hormones in the combined contraceptive pill help to sustain the womb lining, so taking back-to-back packets sustains the lining for longer. Start a new packet of pills straight after you finish the last pill and skip the seven-day break. Taking your contraceptive pills in this way will not affect how they work as contraceptives.
If you are taking a progestogen-only contraceptive pill, you can’t delay your period by taking two packets back-to-back as you will already be taking a pill every day. Norethisterone can be used instead in this situation and if you don’t take the combined contraceptive pill. Norethisterone is a prescription-only medicine which your GP can prescribe. Norethisterone contains the hormone progesterone and works by artificially keeping your natural progesterone levels up. Basically, it stops the lining of your womb from shedding and delays your period. The tablets must be started three days before your period is due and you must take three tablets a day during the time you wish to delay your period. You should get your period two or three days after you stop taking the norethisterone. WARNING: It does not act as a contraceptive when used in this way and it may not be suitable if you have a history of blood clots. Its effectiveness at delaying periods varies from woman to woman and side effects can include bloating, breast tenderness, nausea, headache and disturbances in mood and sex drive.
If you often want to delay your period, your options include taking the combined contraceptive pill back-to-back or considering a Mirena coil. A Mirena coil can work for up to five years and most women have no periods or very light periods with this after the first six months.
Why do I keep bleeding in between my periods?
Irregular bleeding is very common during the first three months of starting any hormonal contraception. If the bleeding lasts longer than three months, see your GP. Other reasons for bleeding between periods that should not be a concern include: missing your contraception (pill/patch/ring); illness; certain prescription medicines or herbal remedy St John’s Wort; and taking your contraception back-to-back (missing the pill-free week).
Stress, vaginal dryness and harmless changes to the neck of the womb (an ectropion)) can also cause bleeding in between periods.
However, if you have had unprotected sex, bleeding could be due to a sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia. Additionally, even if you are up to date with cervical screening tests, you should seek advice about irregular bleeding, especially bleeding after sex, to eliminate the very low possibility of cervical cancer.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.