New website about menstruation aims to take stigma out of periods

A new Canadian website, YourPeriod.ca, has been launched to answer all your questions about menstruation, from puberty to menopause.

The website is the work of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada for educational use by doctors, teachers, parents and women.

"We hope it might give women more of a framework of understanding of what might be going on, how they can be reassured about some of the things that are normal," said Dr. Jennifer Blake, the society's CEO.

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The website describes ways people can judge when the amount of bleeding is abnormal, for instance in women in their later reproductive years for whom heavy bleeding is not uncommon.

"The majority of reasons that a woman sees a gynecologist are because of her period problems," Blake said.

#SorryNotSorry

At the same time, the society is launching a public awareness campaign on social media using the hashtag #SorryNotSorry to remove some of the stigma surroundingmenstruation.

"Should they ... go through their protection at work and soak their clothes, it is seen as a shameful thing and we're trying to attack that as well and say no, it's normal," Blake said.

While Blake acknowledges the sight of blood makes some people faint, menstruation should be seen as a simple fact of life.

"The same people who may be happy watching a video game where people are being knocked off left, right and centre and think that's OK," she said. "This is actually what is OK it is a menstrual period."

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