Blood: The Science, Medicine, and Mythology of Menstruation

"This book is the brilliant and long needed corrective that we have waited for, since the first time we stuffed a box of pads into a three-ply paper bag and slunk out of a pharmacy. Never again." --Samantha Bee

New York Times bestselling author of The Menopause Manifesto and "the world's most famous and outspoken gynecologist" (The Guardian) fights myths and fearmongering with real science, inclusive facts, and shame-free advice on the topic that impacts more than 72 million Americans every month: menstruation.

Most people who menstruate can expect to have hundreds of periods in a lifetime. So why is real information so hard to find? Despite its significance, most education about menstruation focuses either on increasing the chances of pregnancy or preventing it. And while both are important for many people, those who menstruate deserve to know more about their bodies than just what happens in service to reproduction. At a time when charlatans, politicians, and social media are succeeding in propagating damaging misinformation with real and devastating consequences, Dr. Jen provides the antidote with science, myth busting, and no-nonsense facts, along with answers all your period-related questions, plus essential information about topics such as:

* The fascinating biology of menstruation
* Menstrual migraines, PMS, and period diarrhea (yes, it's a thing, unfortunately)
*Vaccines and menstruation
*Legitimate menstrual products, and the facts behind toxic shock syndrome
*Painful periods and endometriosis
*Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
*Debunking social media disinformation about contraception
Blood is about much more than biology. It's an all-in-one, revolutionary guide that will change the way we think about, talk about--and don't talk about--our bodies and our well-being.
"Funny, erudite, compassionate, and righteous--sometimes all in a single sentence--Jen Gunter is the period expert we need right now."
--Emily Nagoski, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Come Together

"Gunter deftly shovels away the patriarchal BS that's piled up around menstruation and digs into the most effective ways to live with and manage it, treat conditions related to it, and move past the myths concocted about it. An essential resource for anyone who menstruates or thinks menstruation is a mystery."
-Emily Willingham, PhD, Author of Phallacy

Author: Jen Gunter
Publisher: Citadel Press
Published: 09/30/2025
Pages: 480
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 8.80h x 5.90w x 1.40d
ISBN: 9780806544854

About the Author
Dr. Jen Gunter is an internationally bestselling author, obstetrician, and gynecologist with more than three decades of experience as a vulvar and vaginal diseases expert. Considered "the world's most famous--and outspoken--gynecologist" (The Guardian), her New York Times and USA Today bestselling books, The Vagina Bible and The Menopause Manifesto, have been translated into 25 languages. She is the host of Jensplaining, a CBC/Amazon Prime video series that highlights the impact of medical misinformation on women, and the recipient of the 2020 NAMS Media Award from The North American Menopause Society. Her 2020 TED Talk, "Why Can't We Talk About Periods?" received more than two million views in its first six months, leading to the launch of her popular podcast on the TED Audio Collective, "Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter." Originally from Winnipeg, Canada, she lives in Northern California and can be found online at DrJenGunter.com.