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Question
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I have gotten my period at or very near the same time every month since puberty.
Now that I have started college (and am living in a dorm), every month it comes
almost a week before I am supposed to get it. I have heard that being around
different people influences when you get your period, but I always thought that
was a myth. Is it true?
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Answer
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Actually, this is not simply a rumor. It is a well-established fact that women
living together often develop synchronized menstrual cycles. As most women who
have ever lived in a sorority can tell you, everyone seems to need
tampons at the same time!
Although the exact mechanism is still unclear, it is widely suspected that this
occurs due to pheromones. It is interesting to note, though, that the pheromones
can be either male or female. In one unusual study, a group of women had a man's
underarm perspiration placed above their upper lip once a day for several months
(no, they didn't know what it was!). Within a few weeks, all the women were
reporting that their menstrual cycles had changed and were soon synchronized,
even though they had never met each other! It is for this reason that many
women report that their menstrual cycle changes once they start having sex
regularly or living with a man.
In your case, it appears that being around other women more than you had in the
past has altered your cycle. If you continue living in the same environment, it
will probably stabilize to this new schedule and you may want to revise the way
you track your periods. There is no harm in this, and no cause for alarm. Just
chalk it up to one of nature's wonders.
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Best,
Dr. Sandor Gardos
MyPleasure provides up-to-date and useful sexual education materials in combination
with a store that allows people to buy, try, and learn about new aspects of
sexuality. We believe everybody deserves a great sex life.
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