An integral part of women's lives, menstruation has long been considered taboo, which explains why there is still, even today, a certain lack of knowledge about it. Never mind! Here are 10 surprising (and fascinating!) facts about menstruation.
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10 surprising facts about the menstrual cycle.
Summary
- An unusual occurrence in female cycle No.1
- An unusual occurrence in the female cycle No.2
- An unusual occurrence in female cycle no. 3
- An unusual occurrence in female cycle No. 4
- An unusual occurrence in female cycle No. 5
- An unusual occurrence in female cycle no. 6
- An unusual occurrence in female cycle no. 7
- An unusual occurrence in female cycle No. 8
- An unusual occurrence in female cycle no. 9
- An unusual occurrence in female cycle no. 10
Published June 9, 2021,
updated on August 7, 2024,
by
Stéphanie, PhD, Doctorate in Life and Health Sciences
—
3 min read
An unusual occurrence in female cycle No.1.
On average, throughout her lifetime, a woman spends over 6 years menstruating. Indeed, 5 days (the average duration of a period) * 12 months * 38 years (from the first day of menstruation to menopause) = 2,280 days, which equates to an average of 6.3 years.
An unusual occurrence in the female cycle No.2.
The ovum is the largest cell in the human body. With a size ranging between 0.1 and 0.14 mm, similar to that of a grain of sand, it can be seen with the naked eye. Also, an ovum is 30 times larger than a sperm cell in terms of volume.
An unusual occurrence in female cycle no. 3.
Unlike men who produce sperm throughout their life, women are born with a finite supply of oocytes (eggs). At birth, a newborn has approximately 1 million eggs, but this number will decrease over time. Indeed, by the time she has her first period (puberty), a girl has only about 15,000 eggs left. Given that about ten follicles (egg factories) mature per cycle and only one egg eventually reaches maturity and is released, a woman will therefore have around 400 fertilisable eggs for her entire life. This reserve depletes over the years and this decrease accelerates from the age of 35. When the supply is exhausted, menopause occurs. This phenomenon is therefore closely linked to fertility potential.
An unusual occurrence in female cycle No. 4.
Some countries have a special provision in their law: menstrual leave, that is, a few days off each month during menstruation. Asia is a pioneer in this field, with Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, in particular, having established menstrual leave. In practice, however, few people take advantage of this leave.
An unusual occurrence in female cycle No. 5.
Depending on the weeks of the menstrual cycle, the appearance of the skin varies. Indeed, the skin undergoes changes under the influence of hormones - oestrogen and progesterone - which fluctuate throughout the cycle. For instance, during the period preceding ovulation, the skin would naturally be more radiant. Thus, the skin would be more beautiful, the voice softer, and the body odour more attractive as the fertile period approaches. However, Typology has launched 4 periodic serums to cater to each of the 4 weeks that make up the menstrual cycle and anticipate its skin changes.
An unusual occurrence in female cycle no. 6.
Only 200 years ago, the average age of first menstruation was 16 years old. Today, in France, the first menstruation occurs on average at the age of 12 and a half. Therefore, we now have an average of 450 cycles compared to 100 in the Middle Ages. Studies are being conducted to establish a correlation between certain environmental factors and the age of first menstruation.
An unusual occurrence in female cycle no. 7.
The etymology of the term "menstruation" derives from the Latin "mensis", meaning month. This term is closely related to the Greek "mene" ", which means "moon". In this sense, it can be inferred that the ancients imagined a connection between the lunar menstrual cycles and the menstrual cycle, which respectively last an average of 29 and 28 days.
An unusual occurrence in female cycle No. 8.
The hypothesis that individuals living in close quarters synchronise their menstrual cycles is a topic of debate within the scientific community. This phenomenon, also known as the McClintock effect, has been supported by some studies and refuted by others. It is possible that this belief stems from the fact that two individuals have a 32% chance of having at least one day of menstruation in common.
An unusual occurrence in female cycle no. 9.
On Earth,humans share this physiological characteristic (menstruation) with a few animal species, such as primates, certain bat species, and the elephant shrew (a small insectivorous animal). However, in most mammals, the mucous membranes are not expelled but naturally reabsorbed.
An unusual occurrence in female cycle no. 10.
With each menstrual cycle, a woman loses between 6 and 70 mL of blood, which is equivalent to 2 to 3 tablespoons or half a glass of wine. Of course, this amount of blood loss varies among women.
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