Module 2:

Myths and
Misconceptions about
Sexuality
Menstruation
Virginity
Pregnancy
Male Sexuality
Breasts
Menstruation
 MYTH
Early Menses = Early Menopause

FACT
Age of menopause is independent
of the age of menarche.
Bathing during menstruation will make
you INSANE

• TRUE OR FALSE
 FAC
T
• There is no scientific basis that bathing
during menstruation will make one crazy.

• It is important to take a bath during

menstruation because there is excess build-up
of oil in the skin and hair

•Hygiene especially during your menstrual

period is important because blood can be an
irritant to the skin
 MYTH
Eating sour food will stop the flow of
menstruation.

FACT
• Sour food does not affect in any way
the character of menstruation.
• No diet restriction is advised as long as
it is balanced and meals are taken
regularly.
 MYTH
Jumping three steps down the stairs on your
first menstruation will shorten your
subsequent menstrual cycles to 3 days.

FACT
• Every girl has her own menstrual cycle, normally 3 to 7
days, and jumping will not change it.
• It is important that every female learns to keep a
calendar / diary of her menstrual cycles
Every girl/woman should learn to
keep a diary tracking her menstrual
cycles.
 MYTH
Menstruation that does not
appear on the exact day of the
month is irregular.

FACT
Normal regular cycle is 28 days ± 7
days. Your cycle length may not be
the same as your sister’s or mother’s
or classmate’s.
 MYTH
Menstruation is an illness every adolescent must experience.

FACT
•Menstruation is not an illness, but a normal biological
process.
•Some women, however, may experience headaches, tired or
bloated feelings, mood swings, breast tenderness, muscle pain,
insomnia and food cravings 7 – 10 days before the start of
menstruation.
 MYTH
Wearing a sanitary napkin when you
have your menses will decrease the
blood flow or will make your menses
stop

FACT
Your menstrual flow is not
affected by napkins, pantyliners
 MYTH
Washing one’s face with her first
menstrual blood will make her skin
smooth and clear.

FACT
Menstrual blood is not a cure for
pimples.
 MYTH
Doing household chores and exercises are
prohibited during one’s monthly period.

FACT
Menstruation should not be a deterrent to one’s daily
activities.
Being active may even help prevent menstrual discomfort
for as long as one doesn’t overdo it.
 MYTH
Menstrual blood is “dirty
blood” that does not come out
of the body when one misses
her period.

FACT
Menstruation is the normal shedding
of the lining of the uterus in the
absence of pregnancy.
Virginity
 vir •gin •i •ty [v r jinn tee]

Dictionary
The state of being untouched, unexplored, or
unspoiled
Medico Legal
A condition of a female who has not experienced
sexual intercourse and whose genital organs have not
been altered by carnal connection
 MYTH
Ballet dancing, horseback riding,
gymnastics and bike riding can
destroy one’s virginity.

FACT
• These activities will not affect
one’s virginity at all.
 MYTH
Absence of bleeding during the first
sexual contact means that one is no
longer a virgin.

FACT
Bleeding may not occur because the
hymen is elastic and pliable.
PREGNANCY
 MYTH
“One sexual intercourse will not
make me pregnant.”

FACT
• If the woman has released the egg
and that egg is viable, pregnancy is
always possible even in one encounter.
• It takes only one sperm cell to cause
pregnancy.
 MYTH
There will be no pregnancy
when there is no female
orgasm (climax/peak)

FACT
The union of sperm and egg
cell does not require orgasm to
happen.
 MYTH
Dipping in swimming pools and Jacuzzi where there are
men may cause one to be pregnant.

FACT
There are no reports of such incidents so far. In fact,
swimming pools are treated with chlorine that may
eliminate viable microorganisms, sperm cells included.
 Male
Sexuality
 MYTH
Masturbation may lead to insanity and
blindness.

FACT
It does not cause insanity
and blindness.
 MYTH
Masturbation increases the penile
size.

FACT
Masturbation does not affect the size and
flexibility of the penis. The size of one’s
penis is based on one’s genes.
Male circumcision
• MYTH: If a girl sees your newly-circumcised
penis, ito ay “mangangamatis” (swollen and
inflammed)
• TRUTH: Inflammation and swelling of a
newly-circumcised penis may happen because
of improper hygiene and improper wound
care. Newly-circumcised boys are encouraged
to bathe daily and properly.
• MYTH:
MYTH Circumcision will make a boy grow
taller
• TRUTH:
Height potential of a boy is NOT affected by
circumcision. Height is influenced by proper
nutrition, genes/heredity, among other factors.
Breasts
 MYTH
Breast asymmetry is
abnormal.

FACT
The growth in size of both
breasts may differ slightly in
some normal adolescents.
 MYTH
Use of push-up bra can cause
breast cancer.

FACT
• There is no relationship between
use of push-up bra and breast
cancer.
 MYTH FACT
Trauma to the breast Trauma cannot cause
can cause breast cancer. breast cancer.

The risk for breast cancer is largely due to a

hereditary/genetic risk, smoking, etc.
THANK
YOU!