Black Box: The reduction and mystification of the menstrual cycle in Western school and medical education

A review of UK physiology textbooks revealed that the menstrual cycle is almost
universally depicted as ‘fluctuations in hormone levels’. This highly abstract and
reductive model omits key information about the purpose and physiology of menstruation. The first section provides the reader with some crucial information about menstrual physiology to enable a more informed understanding of the rest of this chapter. The following section provides a summary of the UK textbook review findings. The third section describes the way in which the reduction of the menstrual cycle can lead to its mystification. These tendencies are then discussed in relation to some pervasive societal gender myths. The chapter concludes by calling for the reader’s support in improved provision of menstrual health literacy in schools, basic medical training, and beyond.