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When it comes to sexual/ reproductive health issues, the more information you can provide your doctor with, the better.

Sure, nobody wants to delve into their sexual history or describe the ins and outs of their heavy flow to a complete stranger, but it's got to be done and luckily, there are a few steps you can take to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible.

According to Dr Sara Kayat from netdoctor.co.uk, there are seven things every woman needs to know about their sexual health.

Know your cycle

How long does your period last? Is it regular? How much do you bleed? What about spotting?

If you ever talk to a GP about changes in your menstrual cycle, you better be prepared to answer all of the above and more.

Contraceptives aren't always plain sailing

The pill is not one-size-fits-all, in fact, it can take some women years to find the method of contraception that suits them.

Be sure to monitor any undesired side-effects, such as mood swings or headaches so that your GP can advise you on the best alternative.

Delayed periods can be normal

It can take several months for your periods to return to normal after stopping contraception.

According to Dr Sara, it will take most women between one and three months to start producing enough hormones to get back to their normal rhythm.

Be honest about your sexual history

There is no room for white lies when it comes to the diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections.

Not only is transparency vital in order to assess the potential risk of infection, but it will also help clear the problem up as soon and possible, meaning the risk of passing it on to a sexual partner will be greatly reduced.

Red flags shouldn't be ignored

Dr Sara explains how there are certain symptoms or reproductive health issues that should be closely monitored. 

These include bleeding in between periods, bleeding after sex, deep pain on having sex, unexpected weight loss, unexplained change in discharge, and pelvic pain.

Listen to your biological clock

Sure, if you're under the age of 35 you probably haven't given much thought to the fact that you are only born with a certain amount of eggs.

However, it if you do happen to be struggling to get pregnant after a year of trying, Dr Sara recommends visiting your doctor to investigate further.

Get to know your vagina

A change in the smell or texture of discharge could indicate the presence of thrush or bacterial vaginosis.

While there are many over the counter remedies for conditions like these, there's no harm in consulting a doctor if the problem persists.

 

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The Homeless Period Dublin initiative was born in December 2016. Their goal is to help women and girls who found themselves unable access to basic sanitation and female hygiene products every month.

Claire Hunt took over the general management of the Homeless Period Dublin initiative in 2017. A social media campaign was launched to highlight this issue; through this campaign it became apparent that this was a national issue. Emanating from this campaign, a decision was made to rebrand the initiative to Homeless Period Ireland (HPI). 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by HomelessPeriodIreland (@homelessperiodireland) on

This rebranding would help create awareness nationally and more importantly, increase the number of drop off points (places where the general public donate female sanitary and hygiene products) and more importantly, increase reach nationally to front line services who have direct access to the women in need.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by HomelessPeriodIreland (@homelessperiodireland) on

The aim of the Homeless Period Ireland is to donate feminine hygiene products (pads, tampons, liners, wipes) to those who otherwise would go without. The donations are brought by volunteer drivers to Homeless Outreach Centres, Direct Provision Centres and Women’s Refuges. The HPI is an initiative, not a charity and is 100 percent reliant on volunteers for distribution and collection of sanitary products.

The core objectives of the Homeless Period Ireland include:

  • breaking the stigma surrounding menstruation

  • educating people on the basic hygiene needs of women

  • educating people that periods are a monthly expense

  • encouraging people to purchase sanitary products and gift them through various pre-arranged donation points

  • ensuring that every woman in Ireland has access to sanitary products.

The Homeless Period Ireland has numerous drop-off points, such as:  

Tropical Popical, Waxperts, UCD, UL, IADT, Bella Baby, National Maternity Hospital.  An up-to-date list of drop off points can be found on their Facebook and Twitter pages. 

We would love to see more nationwide drop off points and anyone who can set one up in a shop, or business etc can drop an email to thehomelessperioddublin@gmail.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by HomelessPeriodIreland (@homelessperiodireland) on

The Homeless Period Ireland hopes to educate people about period poverty and the “silent struggle” of many women living in Ireland, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by HomelessPeriodIreland (@homelessperiodireland) on

HPI want the government to take action as Scotland did this year with the introduction of a scheme that gives free sanitary products to women in need.

On March 13, 2017, for the first time in history, an all female cross party motion on period poverty was passed in the Dail. This included a call for free period products in public buildings and most importantly improving education and working to normalise periods. 

This is a step in the right direction but the work of Homeless Period Ireland will still continue as many people in need will still experience period poverty. Young carers, women and girls in Direct Provision, homeless women, low income women reliant on food banks. They will continue to feel the stress and discomfort that is endured when having a period in difficult circumstances. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by HomelessPeriodIreland (@homelessperiodireland) on

“When we all have access to period products only then will we end period poverty” 

“Periods happen every month and unless you are experiencing it, it’s not at the forefront of people’s minds” 

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Dublin City Council has allocated €100,000 for free period products in their 2020 budget.

Period products will be made available in all council buildings, including libraries, swimming pools and community centres.

Labour councillor Rebecca Moynihan proposed the initiative.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by HomelessPeriodIreland (@homelessperiodireland) on

“With over 50% of young women and girls struggling to afford products; homeless women not being able to afford or indeed access sanitary products regularly and women in direct provision having to fight to get adequate products, it is so important that this initiative has received cross-party from councillors on Dublin City Council,” she stated.

“If the Government were serious about eradicating period poverty they could take two serious actions in the next budget. Firstly, they could introduce free sanitary products in schools. It is a scandal that young girls are missing school because they cannot afford sanitary products. 

“Secondly, the Government should examine the VAT on sanitary products that aren’t pads and tampons. Having a broad choice of products available at a lower price point benefits all women.

“Periods are not a luxury for women and girls. It is a part of everyday life and we need to make life easier for those who may be vulnerable positions,” she stressed.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by HomelessPeriodIreland (@homelessperiodireland) on

You can join the fight against period poverty by donating period products to Homeless Period Ireland.

They have numerous drop-off points across the city, such as:  Tropical Popical, Waxperts, UCD, UL, IADT, Bella Baby, National Maternity Hospital.  An up-to-date list of drop off points can be found on their Facebook and Twitter pages.

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Most of us are more than aware that we need to leave our vaginas alone. Whatever goes up there can cause some serious problems for your foof, so be a bit careful.

However, it seems a certain part of the population has to be told not to put a certain cold treat up there during scorching hot heatwave temperatures…

The UK is set to be hit with the hottest temperature on record today, with highs of 39 degrees Celsius expected. Medical advice online has now released tips on how to cool down, and ice lollies aren't on the list.

One suggestion out there is literally something that should never have been said, but apparently some women are this desperate for some chilly relief.

I'm not quite sure who would consider putting ice lollies up their vagina, but there must be at least one person out there who's doing it if doctors have released a warning against the act.

Speaking to Metro, Dr Sarah Welsh, co-founder of condom brand HANX, warned women not to put ice lollies anywhere near their genitals.

She commented:

"The vagina is composed of very delicate and sensitive skin, hence things that may seem innocent to other areas of the body, if they come in contact with the vagina, can cause infections, irritations and damage.

"There are many things that should never go near a vagina and ice lollies are up there. The ice can stick to the delicate skin of the vagina and cause real trauma and damage."

The sugar in the lolly can also disrupt the natural pH of the vagina, and the lolly is also likely to break inside you. This could honestly be the plot of a horror movie, there's so many things wrong here.

A nurse in June warned women not to try and vacuum their periods after two young women were hospitalised for trying the absurd task.

The 29 and 23-year-old women had used a Hoove to attempt to suck up their menstrual blood, and this was the point where we felt the bile rise at the back of our throats. Dear God.

In a now-deleted tweet, the nurse emphasised the dangers of trying the Hoover method:

"Your period has a steady flow of its own that for all intents and purposes your body can tolerate. A vacuum increases the flow over 1,000 times which your body can't tolerate, therefore sending you into shock."

Over the last few months, women have also been urged not to put garlic, parsley, bath bombs and cucumbers inside their vaginas. Honestly, it just shows how sexual health education is really lacking.

Leave your lady-business alone gals, or you won't be feeling so fanny-astic in the nurse's office.

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The first scientific review of the use of menstrual cups has confirmed that they're safe and as effective as tampons.

The research was published in The Lancet Public Health journal, and features 43 studies and data from 3,300 women and girls.

Four studies found that the levels of leakage were similar between menstrual cups, pads and tampons, but one found that leakage in menstrual cups was actually less than tampons.

Menstruation can have astronomical results on girls' schooling in particular, as well as women's experience of work. If women use poor quality sanitary products, it can increase their disposition to infections.

Menstrual cups collect rather than absorb period blood, and fit into the vagina as reusable products, unlike tampons. There have been recent calls for schools to provide plastic-free menstruation products for students, as tampons and pads are extremely unsustainable for the environment.

Combating 'period poverty' in both high and low-income countries has become more of a priority, thankfully, so it's imperative that policy makers know which sanitary products to include in menstrual health programmes and puberty education materials.

The review also discovered that awareness of menstrual cups among women was noticeably low, though they have been gaining in popularity. The main concerns over the product included pain and difficulty inserting or removing it, as well as chafing and leakage, but the data noted that complications were actually rare.

Senior author Professor Penelope Phillips-Howard from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK says;

“Despite the fact that 1.9 billion women globally are of menstruating age – spending on average 65 days a year dealing with menstrual blood flow, few good quality studies exist that compare sanitary products.

"We aimed to address this by summarising current knowledge about leakage, safety, and acceptability of menstrual cups, comparing them to other products where possible," Professor Phillips-Howard added.

Research from 13 of the studies discovered that around 70 percent of women would continue using menstrual cups once they were comfortable with how it worked.

Menstrual cups are made of soft, flexible material, such as rubber or silicone. They create a suction seal to stop any seepage of blood once inserted into the vagina. The cups collect more menstrual blood than tampons or sanitary pads, but must be emptied and washed regularly.

The two types include a vaginal cup, bell-shape and sits lower in the vagina, and a cervical cup which is placed higher up, like a diaphragm. The cup doesn't relate to your menstrual flow, so it's all about finding the right size to suit your own body. 

To insert, you simply fold the cup and place it into the vagina where it can unfold and form a leak-free seal. To remove, squeeze the bottom of the cup to release the seal and sterilise the cup between periods.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by  (@organicup) on

There are numerous brands to try, such as Mooncup, Saalt and Intimina Lily, but it can take a few attempts before you feel confident about using one. The cups are also extremely cost effective, as it can last for up to 10 years and can be reused every month. 

We highly recommend OrganiCup if you want to try a greener way of menstruating. Being reusable, rather than disposable, menstrual cups are seen as a far greener option for the environment than tampons and sanitary towels.

Researchers believe that making menstrual cups available globally could aid the fight against period poverty and health problems such as infections, even where water and toilet facilities are poor.

Feature image: Pinterest

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“We’ve let our hair out, gone back to work and made our voices heard, so why are we still putting up with uncomfortable and painful sex?”

Now THAT, Durex, is a great question. One that we're SO glad advertisers are starting to ask, seeing as women make up the huge majority of consumers. It's hella dumb not to cater for our needs, if you ask us.

The renowned condom brand also have a range of lubricants, which they are marketing with a pretty great ad, if we do say so ourselves.

The ad uses examples of women fighting for our rights, using our voices to protest, to work, to rebel against societal norms, but yet many of us don't speak out against painful or uncomfortable sex.

Dryness down there is such a common aspect of our daily lives, and the ad points out that our body lubricates itself differently depending on our hormones and the time of the month.

It's perfectly normal that a lot of us would need a little help sometimes with the 'ol lube. Especially during sex, when most heterosexual men don't seem to realise that we need water for the slide to be fun, so to speak.

An advert which shows a protester, female body hair and a working mum is refreshing, so we're even more chuffed that they brought painful sex into the equation.

Millions of women face this issue in their lives, and it can be incredibly frustrating. We all deserve to enjoy sex and have as many (multiple) orgasms as physically possible, and lube is a tool in our armoury to help us achieve that.

Take a look at the video below;

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A RuPaul's Drag Race contestant has claimed that she was BANNED from donning a dress which resembled a giant sanitary pad on the hit diva show.

Drag queen Manila Luzon is currently competing on the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, which is synonymous with breaking glass ceilings and overcoming certain stereotypes.

In the latest episode of the show, which aired last Fridaym Luzon and the cast served some killer lewks and the drag artist herself wore a Chanel-inspired gown for the 'Curves and Swerves' challenge.

Controversy arose when Manila went public with Ru's decision to ban her original menstruation-inspired dress, saying it was in "bad taste", despite previous looks on the show being far more controversial.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Manila Luzon (@manilaluzon) on

Manila took to her Instagram to post an image of the dress, captioning the image;

"Ru said my ORIGINAL Curves & Swerves Runway look was in “bad taste” and production told me to wear my back up. I was really looking forward to wearing this gown that I think celebrates a perfectly normal human experience!"

"Many of my fans are young women who may feel pressured by society to be embarrassed by periods. It’s empowering to teach young women about their bodies, encourage them to celebrate them AND to question people who tell them not to!" she added. LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Manila Luzon (@manilaluzon) on

"My goal with this look was to normalise menstruation by looking great even if I was on my period!" she continued.

The look was curated by designer Dallas Coulter, and consisted of a sanitary pad corset and fake blood alongside a glamorous red skirt.

"Instead, I decided to wear the beautiful quilted dress you saw in the episode because it is not my show, it’s Ru’s. But because of Ru, I have my very own platform to speak for myself and show you all my interpretation!!

Fans of the show were NOT happy, to say the least.

Another Twitter user wrote; “Period drama! As an endometriosis sufferer thank you for trying to normalise periods."

Manila's post has caused major criticism of Ru Paul's methods, following public outcry last year when Ru expressed his disapproval of transitioning queens taking part in Drag Race.

He was accused of transphobia after saying actively transitioning women probably couldn't participate in the famous show;

RuPaul said, “Probably not. You can identify as a woman and say you're transitioning, but it changes once you start changing your body.”

“It takes on a different thing; it changes the whole concept of what we're doing,” the 57-year-old LGBTQ idol said, later apologising for his comments.

Neither Ru nor the production team have responded to the period dress debacle.

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Once a month us women have to endure the utter joy that is the period. Cramps, bleeding, headaches, tender boobs, backache and acne are just some of the things we have to cope with during our ‘time of the month’.

Many women will spot little signs that warns them their period is on the way, whether that’s feeling extremely emotional or suffering a massive breakout on your chin.

We gorge on as much chocolate as we want, dose ourselves up with Feminax and rush to the local Boots to make sure our sanitary product supply is well stocked up.

I’m sure we’ve all had that moment of dread when you’re out in public and your period decides to surprise you by making an unexpected appearance.

You have no tampons or pads in your bag, but luckily there’s a pharmacy on practically every street in Ireland so all you have to do is pop in and pick up some supplies.

To many, it isn’t a major purchase, but to 50 percent of Irish women sanitary products are a mass expense.

In a study conducted by Plan International, nearly 10 percent of participants admitted they have had no choice but to use a “less than suitable sanitary product” because of the cost.

There are girls as young as 12-years-old struggling to buy pads once a month, something that shouldn’t be happening in 2018.

In recent years, the women of Ireland have proved that together we can make a difference. We no longer underestimate our power, our strength and determination to make this country a better place for women.

There are so many things you can do to help tackle period poverty in Ireland.

1: Normalise periods:

For years, women have been too ashamed to talk about their period, even though it’s a completely natural thing that nearly every woman will experience at some point in her life. We mutter phrases like, “I have my thing,” or “It’s just a girly problem,” as we avoid eye-contact and blush with embarrassment. It’s time for us to realise that simply saying: “I have my period,” is perfectly acceptable.

2: Make a donation to Homeless Period Ireland

The wonderful people at Homeless Period Ireland are trying their best to supply homeless women with sanitary products, however, they can’t do it without the public’s generosity. A packet of pads cost less than the iced white chocolate mocha you buy, so why not cut back on your daily jaunts to Starbucks and purchase some sanitary products with that money instead. There are numerous donation drop off points all around Ireland, including Cork, Limerick and Dublin. See below for the full list of drop off points and donate sanitary supplies to your fellow sisters today.

3: Sign this petition to end period poverty in Ireland:

Too many women have to suffer through their time of the month without any sanitary products or a place to shower. Susan Colgan has launched a petition to introduce free sanitary products in Ireland.

She explained why we need free sanitary products: “Toilet paper is given out for free in almost every establishment nationwide. You wouldn't be expected to keep your own roll of toilet paper in your handbag when you go out to a nightclub, a restaurant or the cinema. It's always provided for you.”

She continued: “This is because it is considered a necessity, it would be morally wrong and unhygienic not to provide it, free of charge. This is the exact same thing when it comes to menstruation. It is not a choice.”

To sign the Free Sanitary Products in Ireland petition click here.

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A number of schools in the Chicago area have come under fire after it was revealed that female students are bleeding through their clothes because of the strict bathroom rules the charter schools put in place.

The NPR revealed the school’s controversial rules, where students must be brought to the bathroom by an escort.

However, one student explained to NPR that the escorts are rarely ever available.

The students are not allowed to go to the bathroom alone and face punishment if they are caught walking outside of the classroom.

An anonymous student shared, “Who wants to walk around knowing there’s blood on them? It can still stain the seats. They just need to be more understanding."

Female students who are menstruating explained that they have leaked through their clothes because they can’t go to the bathroom to change their pads or tampons.

It has been reported that some schools have introduced a dress code where female students can cover up blood stains by tying jumpers around their waists, but this step is not good enough.

“If a menstruating student has bled through her clothing, she can inform a teacher who will send an email to staff announcing the name of the girl who has permission to wear her sweater tied around her waist, so she doesn’t receive demerits for violating the dress code,” NPR reported.

People have expressed their horror at the treatment of the female students, who are being stripped of their dignity.

Pads and tampons need to be changed every few hours to avoid leaking and discomfort, as well as odours, and in severe cases toxic shock syndrome.

Female students are at risk of toxic shock syndrome if they don't change their tampons regularly. 

As well as health complications, the girls are being stripped of respect and comfort.

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Most of us think that guys don't really have a clue about periods, right?

Some do, some don't – it differs from man to man.

But, it turns out that they might know a whole lot more than we think.

Teva recently conducted a survey which questioned 5,000 heterosexual men in relationships from 12 countries in Europe to find out how much they really know about menstruation – and it actually surprised us.

Image result for periods

When asked about the length of a period, the guys got it spot on, with the average answer of 5.2 days for women who don't take contraception, and 4.6 days for ladies who do.

And when it came to the top problems us women experience when Aunt Flo is in town, they answered pretty accurately with mood swings, irritability and pelvic pain.

However, one thing they still haven't copped onto is how sore our cramps can be, as the study found that they don't think periods are that painful.

And, for some reason, most men surveyed either didn't know or didn't believe that women get periods every month…

Related image

Dr Iñaki Lete, who led the research, said: "Prior to hormonal birth control becoming a contraceptive option, men had little awareness of what a woman experiences during menstruation.

"In the 50 years since the first contraceptive became widely available, men have become increasingly aware of how their partner experiences menstruation.

"These findings reflect wider societal changes, particularly where couples are encouraged to discuss previously taboo topics such as menstruation and contraception."

So, it looks like your boyf may know more about your body after all.

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All those warnings on tampon boxes about Toxic Shock Syndrome? Yeah, you should definitely be paying attention to them.

One UK student has revealed she ended up with severe blood poisoning, close to death, after forgetting about her tampon for nine full days.

Emily Pankhurst, 20, described to The Daily Mail how she assumed the pain and bloating she was feeling were just down to stress, as she was studying hard for upcoming university exams at the time.

"I blamed deadlines, returning to uni after the New Year and exams. Actually I was seriously ill," she explained, adding that she had simply inserted a new tampon, having forgotten to take the old one out.

"When I finally realised, I pulled it out it was pure black," she says of the moment she realised what she had done.

"I was feeling really ill by that stage. I was hot and dizzy and felt really strange.

"I wouldn't have known what it was apart from the string. It was horrible. I immediately chucked it in the loo, I felt sick."

However even after removing the forgotten tampon, Emily's symptoms continued to worsen, and she was eventually rushed to hospital with intense stomach pains and slurred speech.

"I was sat in the dark. I can't remember much, but mum said I kept repeating, "I feel ill – my stomach".

"'My speech slurred and my skin became mottled. I started to feel faint and I was rushed to hospital by ambulance.

"During the journey they said I was displaying all the symptoms of sepsis [blood poisoning] and so the blue lights were put on. I became an emergency case."

Thankfully Emily received medical treatment before the sepsis took hold of her body completely, but it was a long road to recovery.

"I was fed through a tube," she recalls, adding that she couldn't even use the toilet as normal.

"My bladder was full – I had two litres of urine in me – but I couldn't go to the toilet naturally and was given a catheter.

"I've never been in pain like it so was given morphine and doctors said if I had left it any longer I would be dead."

Even now, two months on, Emily is still feeling the consequences of her illness and finds she is constantly exhausted, needing up to 13 hours sleep a night to function.

Emily has shared her story to warn other women to be mindful of their health, especially in times of stress.

"I hope my story can help others to take care of their health and not take their lives for granted, because you never know what might be around the corner."

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Meet Kiran Gandhi. She's a Harvard Business graduate, a drummer for M.I.A. and a socially aware marathon runner. 

Recently Kiran completed the London Marathon, and her experience has gone viral over the last 48 hours. When her period arrived unexpectedly the night before the race, Kiran had to make the choice between wearing a tampon or pad for 42km or going without.

She chose the latter, and decided to use her decision to make a public statement about stigmas and sexism.

"I got my flow the night before and it was a total disaster but I didn’t want to clean it up. It would have been way too uncomfortable to worry about a tampon [for the race]," Kiran wrote on her personal blog. "I thought, if there’s one person society won’t f*ck with, it’s a marathon runner."

Dressed in pink and having raised $6,000 (€5,480) along with two friends for Breast Cancer Care, Kiran finished the 42km course in 4 hours and 49 minutes with her period blood flowing free. Although the marathon took place back in April, a recent article by Cosmopolitan brought Kiran's unorthodox decision into the public eye.

The reaction so far on Twitter has been mixed:

Speaking about her choice, Kiran said it definitely wasn't planned but that she felt it was the right move at the time. "They tell you that for men, their nipples will bleed because of the chafing between their shirts and their skin [while running long distance]. I worried that a tampon might have the same effect," she explained. 

"Granted, that might have been ignorant because people run completely fine, but 26 miles is different than just, like, three or four."

But once she started bleeding, Kiran said she was too excited about how the race was going to even care. "Once I started bleeding, I felt kind of like, Yeah! Fuck you! I felt very empowered by that. I did," she admits.

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