Bodyform has broken convention: the feminine hygiene brand’s latest sanitary towel advert is the first to use red liquid. The fact that showing liquid that looks like blood to denote real blood counts as taboo-breaking is as ridiculous as the blue liquid inflicted on our fragile sensibilities for years. As Bodyform’s slogan declares: “Periods are normal. Showing them should be too.”
This is about more than advertising. Making periods visible – by using red liquid, but also in discourse – is good for your health. Women’s health is routinely underresearched, but you can learn a lot from the state of your period.
Millions of women are told by doctors that severe pain is “normal”. Endometriosis, a condition causing such pain, is common yet often takes 10 years to diagnose. Severe period pain is not normal. As well as endometriosis, it can indicate polycystic ovaries and other conditions. Pester your doctor and get a diagnosis.
Other issues could require a doctor, too.
Amenorrhoea is the absence of periods in a woman of reproductive age. It is usually caused by stress and can lead to bone loss. Erratic menstrual cycles can happen naturally in adolescence and perimenopause, but having no period for more than three months is uncommon (unless you are pregnant) and you should seek advice.
Period discharge can be darker than vibrant, oxygen-rich blood that would flow from a fresh cut, particularly towards the end of the period, when older blood is being discharged and the flow is slower. Brownish discharge is normal. Clots can occur if the flow is heavy, but if they are large (bigger than a 10p coin, says Boots) or there are more than usual, this could indicate fibroids or a hormonal imbalance.
If your flow changes noticeably, take note. It could indicate thyroid problems or other imbalances. If you have very heavy periods, you could be anaemic and may need iron supplements. Abnormal uterine bleeding could indicate pregnancy, bleeding disorders, some sexually transmitted infections or malignancy.
The average menstrual blood loss should be 30ml a cycle; 80ml is considered too much. You can hardly measure your flow, though. So, as a rule of thumb, if you are changing sanitary products every one to two hours or bleeding for more than seven days, get yourself checked out.
None of this is meant to alarm you, but to point out that your period – as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists stated recently – is a vital sign of your health that should be measured, just like blood pressure and weight. Apps that track menstrual cycles are common – and useful. Now that we can apparently stomach the sight of period blood, there is no excuse for ignoring its diagnostic potential.
