Day Twenty Five: Why 28 Days?

03/21/22 • 14 min

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How long is too long for a menstrual cycle? And what can be the causes of irregular periods? India talks to Dr Anita Mitra and Dr Dornu Lebari about what's 'normal' as well as the hormonal imbalance that arises from the condition polycystic ovary syndrome. India also finds out about some unusual animal cycles.

Credits: Presented by India Rakusen. Producer: Ellie Sans. Assistant Producer: Jorja McAndrew. Executive Producer: Suzy Grant. Original music composed and performed by Rebekah Reid. Sound Design by Charlie Brandon-King.

Special thanks to all contributors and audio diarists.

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Special thanks to all contributors and audio diarists.

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Previous Episode

Day Twenty Four: To Bleed or Not to Bleed

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Millions of women across the world take hormonal contraception either as birth control or to help with problem periods - but do we know how much they might be affecting our brains?

In this episode India asks Dr Jackie Maybin from the University of Edinburgh, whether there is a physiological need for women to have their periods whilst on the contraceptive pill. Dr Katy Vincent explains how women today have far more periods than our recent ancestors ever did and Dr Sarah Hill, author of How the Pill Changes Everything: Your Brain on Birth Control, joins to discuss the effect of the pill on women’s brains.

Special thanks to all contributors and audio diarists.

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Next Episode

Day Twenty-Six: The Shock

India considers the role of the femcare industry in perpetuating menstrual stigma and single use products with Chris Bobel, an Associate Professor of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston and Co-Editor of the Critical Guide to Menstruation.

We also meet Dr Sharra Vostral, a Professor of History at Purdue University in Indiana, to discuss the rise of Toxic Shock Syndrome in the 1970s and 80s and how this healthcare event shaped the tampon industry today.

Later India considers the rise of reusable products with Alec Mills, the founder of the sustainable period product brand, DAME.

Special thanks to all contributors and audio diarists.

A Listen production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.