A few days ago, Professor P received a request for help from a female friend who said that her period was usually quite regular, but this time it was probably affected by her irregular lifestyle during the pandemic. It had been a week late, and if she didn't know that she was single, she would have suspected that she was pregnant!
Menstruation has always been regarded as a barometer of women's health, but there are many questions about this period, whether they are teenage girls or mature women in their fifties or sixties. Professor P has compiled three common misconceptions about menstruation. Let's take a look!
Does a shorter menstrual cycle mean faster aging?
The timing of aging cannot be determined solely by the length of the menstrual cycle.
The idea that "the longer the menstrual cycle, the slower you age" mainly comes from the number of eggs a woman has. A woman can only ovulate a limited number of eggs in her lifetime, about 400. Therefore, some people speculate that if the menstrual cycle is short, the limited number of eggs will be ovulated more quickly, and the woman will reach menopause sooner, thus aging faster. Conversely, if the menstrual cycle is long, hundreds of eggs will be ovulated slowly, the reproductive age will be longer, and the menopause will be delayed accordingly.
It sounds reasonable, but in reality, 400 ovulations is just an average. The actual number varies from woman to woman; some may only have 300, while others may have 500. If a woman has a short menstrual cycle but a high number of ovulations, her reproductive age and menopause will not differ significantly from women with longer menstrual cycles.
Another point is that not every menstrual period means ovulation. During puberty or near menopause, or when emotions affect the endocrine system, anovulatory bleeding may occur, in which case the egg is not wasted.
Normally, a woman's menstrual cycle lasts between 28 and 35 days. If it is delayed, prolonged, or changes occasionally within this range, there is no need to worry too much. What you should really be wary of is a huge change in your menstrual cycle, such as if your cycle, which is normally 30 days, suddenly becomes about 15 days. In this case, it is best to go to the gynecologist for a check-up.
Is it better for women to have menopause as late as possible?
No.
Some women believe that the later menopause occurs, the better; as long as they still menstruate, it proves they are still fertile, have good ovarian function, and are still young. This is not actually the case. The age of menopause varies from woman to woman, but according to statistical data, the average age of menopause for women in my country is 49.
Even if a woman in her fifties or sixties still menstruates, it is very likely to be anovulatory bleeding, which does not indicate fertility or physical health. On the contrary, if menstruation continues into a certain age, it is more likely to raise suspicion of gynecological tumors such as cervical cancer or endometrial cancer.
It is also important to emphasize that women approaching menopause should never blindly take health supplements in an attempt to prolong their menstrual cycle, as these may contain hormones or other unknown ingredients that could harm their health.
Bright red menstrual blood is normal, while dark red blood indicates poor health.
Simply looking at the color of menstrual blood is not a reliable indicator of health.
Menstrual blood consists of more than just red blood; it also includes fragments of the uterine lining, cervical mucus, and shed vaginal epithelial cells. If there is more cervical mucus in the menstrual blood, the blood may appear lighter in color.
The color of blood is determined by the amount of hemoglobin and its oxygen content. The more hemoglobin and the higher the oxygen content, the brighter the red the blood appears. Generally, menstrual blood in women is mainly three-quarters arterial blood and one-quarter venous blood, so it appears bright red. However, if a person has more venous blood, the color will indeed appear darker. In addition, menstrual blood, once expelled from the body, comes into contact with air and quickly oxidizes, turning an even darker color.
Actually, menstrual blood doesn't just come in one shade; light red to dark red are all normal and there's no need to worry too much. To truly assess your health based on your menstrual cycle, you must consider factors such as flow volume, duration, cycle length, and the presence of other symptoms, in addition to observing the color.
Summarize:
A normal menstrual cycle is between 28 and 35 days. A shorter or longer menstrual cycle is not directly related to aging.
The average age of menstruation for women in my country is 49 years old, and it is best not to intervene artificially.
The color of menstrual blood is related to its composition and exposure to air, and the depth of color alone cannot be used as a standard for judging health.
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