Even when everything is working like clockwork, your period is a pretty weird and wonderful time of the month. While you might presume vaginal itching, blood clots and taking more poos than normal (yes, really) are cause for concern, however you can treat your yeast infection with yogurt.
We spoke to London-based gynaecologist Dr Anita Mitra, aka Instagram’s no-nonsense Gynae Geek, to get the lowdown on what’s normal down below and what warrants a trip to the doctor’s office.
1. ITCHING IS A RITE OF PASSAGE
Not only is vaginal itching normal, but it's actually very common. "It happens due to a fluctuation in the ‘vaginal microbiome’, bacteria that resides healthily in your vagina," says Dr Anita. "The change in hormones and presence of blood result in a slight change in the bacterial population and yeasts (which cause thrush), both of which can cause itching."
Some find that tampons make itching worse, but this varies from person to person. "While there are a lot of scare stories about tampons containing awful chemicals that can cause irritation or worse – and that organic tampons are better – there’s no firm evidence to back this up."
"One of the most important things you absolutely should not do is douche or use feminine hygiene washes, because this can make the itching worse," she adds. "They wash away the good bacteria, meaning yeasts and bacteria that you don't want are able to grow even more, so it becomes a vicious circle." FYI, some odour is normal – blood itself has a distinct smell – but douching will make period blood smell worse.
2. YOUR VAGINA’S PH LEVEL CHANGES
"The vagina’s low pH helps protect you from growth of the type of bacteria that cause bacterial vaginosis, bacterial STIs such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea and also viral infections including HIV and HPV (the virus that causes cervical cancer)," says Dr Anita.
Around the time of your period, your vagina’s pH level actually increases slightly. You’ve no doubt heard that you’re more likely to contract a yeast infection while on your period because of this, but the jury’s still well and truly out. "For some people it's in the middle of the cycle because of higher levels of oestrogen, which yeasts love," says Dr Anita.
"But I see plenty of women who tend to get yeast infections around the time of their period, too. This may be because of the change in the bacterial population enables it to thrive, take over and cause that awful itchy discharge that most of us know – and none of us love."
3. THE CERVIX SOFTENS SLIGHTLY
This is your body’s way of making sure that the blood flows out of your body during your period. "It happens as a response to release of prostaglandins, which are small chemical messengers involved in the inflammatory response. Fun fact: these were first discovered in semen and called prostaglandins because they were thought to originate from the prostate gland."
4. YOU HAVE CONTRACTIONS (EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE NOT ABOUT TO GIVE BIRTH)
No, seriously. In response to hormones known as prostaglandins, your womb makes small, rhythmic contractions. "This is to ensure the lining is shed and makes its way down and out through the cervix and into the vagina," Dr Anita adds. "It’s also the reason for period pain, which you may experience in your lower abdomen, but also in your back, buttocks and thighs due to the connection of the nerves that supply the pelvic area."
5. … WHICH MAKE YOU POO MORE
Those prostaglandins we mentioned earlier also cause your bowels to contract, and that in turn causes you to need the toilet more. "It's not uncommon to go for a lot more number twos, or even have slightly looser stools than normal," Dr Anita says. "The drop in progesterone also contributes, as higher levels of progesterone are suggested to slow down gut motility." So if you’re pooing more than normal, don’t sweat it.
This article was first published on www.cosmopolitan.com