Debunking Women's Health Myths

[Lisa]

I came across a very interesting article 5 Myths About Women's Bodies, where specialists uncover the truths behind some common women's health misconceptions- one of which being: "women can't get pregnant during their period". True or false? Find out the truth here!

What women's health myths have you heard? (However strange or funny they are, I want to hear them!)

[Princess-Spock]

About 20 years ago, a friend told me that if your period starts and stops rather than having a steady flow, it meant you had a serious health issue. The reality of course is that it's normal.

[JamC]

Great article.

False. I'm sure a woman can get pregnant during her period.

The other myth I have heard is that a woman only ovulates once a month. I know this to be untrue from personal experience.

[Lisa]

Here's a link to another great post Totally Untrue Rumors about Birth Control - check it out! Some of this stuff really surprised me...

One being - "according to Planned Parenthood, if you use the pill you are 1/3 less likely to develop ovarian or uterine cancer than those who are not on the pill".

[ninapucci]

Wow. I was particularly surprised by the fact that Women and men need different amounts of sleep. I always feel that many of my male friends can consistently cope with getting very little sleep when I need a full 7-8 hours to be productive every day. It is comforting to see that research suggests that there is a correlation between gender and sleep needs.

[Kelly D]

Good to know. My husband always laughs about how I need more sleep than him to function. Now I can say, studies prove this!

[Dawn - About.com Contraception]

Check out these articles on myths:

1. Common Birth Control Myths and Sex Myths

2. Top 10 Myths about The Pill

3. Myths About Water Sex, Jacuzzis and Hot Tubs

Thanks!
Dawn Stacey
Guide to Contraception
http://contraception.about.com
About.com | Guidance. Not Guesswork.

About.com is part of The New York Times Company
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[amanda]

Great info on here. I learned a lot from reading all the awesome links on here!

Some of the things I learned from the links Dawn posted:
• people thought that douching with cola could kill sperm!
• the pill doesn't make you gain weight
• smoking while taking the pill isn't deadly
• women need to take 7 consecutive active pills to prevent ovulation and can then miss 7 days without the risk of ovulation (the least risky time is in the middle of the pack)

I found a few links to more Women's Health Myths:
Ten Myths about Women's Health over 40
7 Myths about Breast Cancer
Health Risks: Get the Facts