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Menstruation isa woman's monthly bleeding, often called your “period.” When you menstruate, your body discards the monthly build-up of the lining of your uterus (womb). Menstrual blood and tissue flow from your uterus through the small opening in your cervix and pass out of your body through your vagina.

Each month, just before your period begins, fatty acids known as prostaglandins begin to relax the smooth muscle tissues inside your uterus to help it shed its lining. But those same prostaglandins can have a similar impact on your bowels, leading to, you guessed it, more poop.

Yes. PMS symptoms may get worse as you reach your late 30s or 40s and as you approach perimenopause. Perimenopause is the transition to menopause. This is especially true for women whose moods are sensitive to changing hormone levels during the menstrual cycle.

The chances of getting pregnant if you have sex during your period are very low. However, if you’ve had unprotected sex, it is still possible to get pregnant during your period.

To understand how this can happen, you need to know how your menstrual cycle works.

• Your cycle starts on the first day of your period and lasts until the first day of your next period.
• About 10 to 16 days before the start of your next period, you will ovulate, which is when one of your ovaries releases an egg.
• Once you’ve ovulated, you enter the Luteal phase, when the now empty follicle develops the corpus luteum, which produces the hormone progesterone. 
• The lining on your uterus thickens in preparation for a fertilized egg to implant.
• If you have not conceived, then the egg passes into the uterus, hormone levels drop, and the womb lining sheds as you begin your next period.

Generally speaking, period odours aren't noticeable to others. Good hygiene practices can also combat normal period odours and make you more comfortable during menstruation. A strong odour from “down there” may be cause for worry, as it could be a sign of an infection.

Most miscarriages occur because the fetus isn't developing as expected. About 50 percent of miscarriages are associated with extra or missing chromosomes. Most often, chromosome problems result from errors that occur by chance as the embryo divides and grows, not problems inherited from the parents.

Some women notice their menstrual cycle getting shorter with age. Changes in your menstrual cycle during perimenopause are normal. Your periods may become shorter or longer, and the days between your periods may increase or decrease. Your menstrual flow may become heavier or lighter.

Unless it troubles you, there's no need to avoid sexual activity during your period. Though period sex can be a bit messy, it is safe.

A menstrual cup is a small, malleable cup made of medical-grade silicone that acts as a mini funnel that is folded and gently pushed up the vaginal canal. Once it's up there, it retains its shape and collects menstrual fluid. It can be worn for up to 12 hours, and when full, you simply remove and flush the contents in the toilet.

The most common causes of unpleasant vaginal odour are: Bacterial vaginosis (BV): An infection that's caused by an imbalance in your vagina's flora. BV is responsible for the fishy smell most commonly associated with unpleasant vaginal odours. The fishy smell may be especially strong after sex.

The outside part that touches your underwear is called a vulva. There is really no such thing as a “normal” looking vulva. Vulvas are as unique as faces  they all have the same parts, but everyone's looks a little different. Labia (the inner and outer lips) come in all shapes and sizes. People can have dangly labia, puffy labia, or barely-there labia.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the name of a very common group of viruses. They do not cause any problems in most people, but some types can cause genital warts or cancer. There are more than 100 different types.

If you experience pain during or after sex, your body may be trying to tell you something is wrong, so don't ignore it. See your GP or a sexual health practitioner. You may find talking about sex embarrassing, but remember that doctors are used to dealing with problems like this.

It's perfectly normal to notice some clumps from time to time during your period. These are blood clots that may contain tissue. As the uterus sheds its lining, this tissue leaves the body as a natural part of the menstrual cycle. So, clots of tissue are usually nothing to be concerned about.

Like unprotected vaginal sex, unprotected anal sex can spread STDs like chlamydia, gonorrhoea, hepatitis, herpes, HIV, HPV, and syphilis. So use condoms or internal condoms during anal sex to help prevent STDs. Make sure to only use water-based lube with latex condoms.

Peeing won't prevent pregnancy — even if you go seconds after your partner has ejaculated inside you. During vaginal intercourse, sperm is ejaculated into the vaginal canal. Urine is released from the urethra not the vaginal canal, therefore urinating after intercourse will not wash the sperm away.

Although the results are fairly similar, there's one key difference is how long they last. On average, waxing lasts around 3 or 4 weeks because the hair is removed at the root. When shaving, grows back within 3 days to a week because shaving only removes the top layer of the hair.

Remember: A “loose” vagina is a myth. Age and childbirth can cause your vagina to slightly lose some of its elasticity naturally, but your vaginal muscles won't stretch out permanently. In time, your vagina will snap back to its original form.

Reusable pads are safe to use as long as you follow proper hygiene practices when using them. Standard plastic sanitary pads which come with artificial fragrances, adhesives and bleaching chemicals can cause rashes is they are not changed regularly. This means that the disposable sanitary pads may not be as sanitary as you might have thought them to be.

Period Panties wont leak as long as you change them as frequently as you would a tampon. Always make sure you have the correct panty on for light, medium or heavy flow days. Generally, this is about 6-8 hours a day, so you are pretty well protected to go about your day or night as if you weren't on your period at all.