# At the onset of monthly menstruation, can women "hold it \[blood\] in?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 14, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-the-onset-of-monthly-menstruation-can-women-hold-it-blood-in/631477 "2012-08-14T16:02:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-the-onset-of-monthly-menstruation-can-women-hold-it-blood-in/631477/41 "2012-08-16T13:23:12Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > yes they can (for a while) with handstands and other inversions. So what happens in zero-G? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-the-onset-of-monthly-menstruation-can-women-hold-it-blood-in/631477/42 "2012-08-16T13:31:38Z")
> [@Patch](#): > > So what happens in zero-G? Everything seems to work as normal, according to this weird website: [How do female astronauts menstruate in space? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2827/how-do-female-astronauts-menstruate-in-space) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-the-onset-of-monthly-menstruation-can-women-hold-it-blood-in/631477/43 "2012-08-16T16:57:52Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > [Museum of Menstruation and Women’s Health](http://www.mum.org/). Enormous, ever expanding site, now in 18th year. Interesting site, but the guy who runs it strikes me as creepy as fuck. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-the-onset-of-monthly-menstruation-can-women-hold-it-blood-in/631477/44 "2012-08-16T17:49:08Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > I can feel it and can hold it in usually long enough to go to the bathroom (if I have access to one nearby). I can also, once it is on its way out, attempt to push it out (because I don’t want to be in the restroom for long periods of time). > > Another thing is that it is not a continuous stream even when it does start (well, not all the time, and not for every woman). For many it is most like chunks… say a few ounces at a time, and once that descends, nothing else will come out for some time. This time may vary from anywhere of 10 minutes to hours. It’s been a few years, but I recall even though it FELT like I was passing “chunks… a few ounces at a time”…this is not accurate. This statement makes it sound like liters of blood and tissue come gushing out every month, and though a heavy flow is common, ounces and cups of liquid and goo are only an illusion, felt by the sufferer. A large clot that is kind of taking its time WILL cause excrutiating cramps. I think a tablespoon a day is passed in the first couple of days, and less each day after. If I’m incorrect, someone will correct me. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-the-onset-of-monthly-menstruation-can-women-hold-it-blood-in/631477/45 "2012-08-16T18:22:02Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > It’s been a few years, but I recall even though it FELT like I was passing “chunks… a few ounces at a time”…this is not accurate. This statement makes it sound like liters of blood and tissue come gushing out every month, and though a heavy flow is common, ounces and cups of liquid and goo are only an illusion, felt by the sufferer. A large clot that is kind of taking its time WILL cause excrutiating cramps. > > I think a tablespoon a day is passed in the first couple of days, and less each day after. If I’m incorrect, someone will correct me. Heh, my bad, since I suck at conversions. Yes, I didn’t want to imply that there are lots and lots of tissues passing at once. Change it to a few milliliters? 😉 And no, I didn’t mean to imply that there are cups and cups of liquid coming out. Yes, I was thinking of one tablespoon or less per day. Thanks for the correction. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/at-the-onset-of-monthly-menstruation-can-women-hold-it-blood-in/631477.md?page=2)