Are We Really Surprised?This Whole Time, Period Products Didn’t Use Actual Human Blood to Test Efficacy The first study to use actual human blood to test the efficacy of period products was just published this month. By Devrupa Rakshit
To Skip or Not to SkipIs Delaying, Suppressing Periods Worth the Risk? It's okay to want to delay one's periods once in a while. But to do so without consulting a doctor can be far from safe. By Devrupa Rakshit
Let's Talk About It!Ovulation Cramps Aren’t Discussed as Often as Menstrual Cramps. Are They Normal? Ovulation cramps can not only be perfectly normal, but there's even a name for them in German: "mittelschmerz," or middle pain. By Devrupa Rakshit
Blue By BloodCan Mental Illnesses Make PMS Worse? Research has consistently shown that individuals with a history of mental health disorders are more likely to experience severe PMS. By Devrupa Rakshit
Danger Down UnderMany Popular Sanitary Pads in India Contain Cancer‑Causing Chemicals, Study Finds The presence of harmful chemicals in pads is especially alarming since the vagina can absorb them at a much higher rate than, say, the skin. By Devrupa Rakshit
Stains of SexismIn Conversation: On the Official Who Dismissed a Girl’s Request for Free Sanitary Pads The team discusses pressing events that say something about our culture, and why it matters. Today, why sexual health still elicits moral anxiety. By The Swaddle Team
Hand-in-HandPeriod Irregularities and Stress Levels Have Risen Together Since 2020: Study People who were more stressed experienced heavier menstrual bleeding than usual, with their periods lasting longer than they did before. By Devrupa Rakshit
Validation Is Step OneCovid19 Vaccine Linked to Only Small Changes in Menstrual Cycles, Shows U.S. Study The results are “incredibly reassuring” and “validating for people who’ve experienced menstrual disturbance [post vaccination],” the researcher said. By Saumya Kalia
High TimeIt’s Time to Study How Covid19 Vaccines Affect Menstrual Health: Experts "Failing to thoroughly investigate reports of menstrual changes after vaccination is likely to fuel [vaccine hesitancy]." By Devrupa Rakshit
End Period PovertyMenstruating Students Shouldn’t Have to Miss Education Because Schools Lack Pads: Karnataka HC "Such a measure would ensure full attendance of adolescent girls in schools and their right to education would be fulfilled." By Devrupa Rakshit
Bad BloodMenstruating Women Cannot Be Socially Excluded From Public, Private Places, Says Gujarat HC “This stigma has built up due to the traditional beliefs in impurity of menstruating women and our unwillingness to discuss it normally.” By Satviki Sanjay
Menstrual ModelThane Rolls Out Low‑Cost Public Toilet Upgrade Aimed at Improving Menstrual Hygiene The city's new 'period room' offers a model that could be implemented at a large, cost-effective scale. By Satviki Sanjay
MenstressedLockdown Stress Is Disrupting Menstrual Cycles Gynecologists believe that stress, in addition to lifestyle changes and the lack of physical exercise under lockdown, is leading to period irregularities. By Devrupa Rakshit
End Period PovertyNew Zealand Makes Menstrual Hygiene Products Free For School‑Going Girls Nearly 95,000 girls in New Zealand miss school every month because they can't afford menstrual hygiene products. By Devrupa Rakshit
Feminist FaultsPMS‑ing May Be a Sexist Stereotype, but It’s Also a Real Thing Hormones can make people more volatile while on their period; it's still no reason to dismiss them. By Rajvi Desai
End Period PovertyScotland Soon to Be First Country in World to Make Period Products Free Even with unanimous political backing, the annual cost to execute the plan is still a hurdle. By Aditi Murti
Full UpAll the Different Causes of Bloating — And What to Do About Them Minor fluctuations in waistline are a near-constant for women. By Liesl Goecker
Bloody HellA Crash Course on Periods for Anyone Who Needs It Statistically speaking, around 1 in every 7 women you encounter is menstruating right now. By Pallavi Prasad
