ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Have you ever noticed that your period seems to sync up with your friends, roommates, sisters, or coworkers? Maybe you’ve even joked that you’ve been spending so much time together that your cycles decided to join forces.
But is period syncing actually a thing—or is it just one of those ideas we’ve all accepted without really questioning it?
In this episode of Wondering About..., we’re going down the rabbit hole of period syncing. Where did the idea come from? What does the research actually say? And why do so many people feel like they’ve experienced it?
We’re looking at the science behind menstrual cycles, the study that helped popularize the idea of menstrual synchrony, and what researchers have discovered since. Along the way, we’ll wonder about biology, coincidence, perception, and why our brains are so good at noticing patterns.
Is your period really syncing with your friends…or are we just really good at finding connections?
Come wonder with us.
Citations:
McClintock, Martha K. “Menstrual Synchrony and Suppression.” Nature, vol. 229, 1971, pp. 244–245. DOI: 10.1038/229244a0.
Wilson, H. Clyde, Sarah Hildebrandt Kiefhaber, and Virginia Gravel. “Two Studies of Menstrual Synchrony: Negative Results.” Psychoneuroendocrinology, vol. 16, no. 4, 1991, pp. 353–359. DOI: 10.1016/0306-4530(91)90021-
K.Yang, Zhengwei, and Jeffrey C. Schank. “Women Do Not Synchronize Their Menstrual Cycles.” Human Nature, vol. 17, no. 4, 2006, pp. 433–447. DOI: 10.1007/s12110-006-1005-z.
Kathleen Stern & Martha K. McClintock
“Regulation of ovulation by human pheromones”
Nature, 1998How a 1971 Paper Ignited the Search for Human Pheromones - DongA Science https://share.google/mEGRoQcrdaDnrRryg
Wilson, H. Clyde. “A Critical Review of Menstrual Synchrony Research.” Psychoneuroendocrinology, vol. 17, no. 6, 1992, pp. 565–591. DOI: 10.1016/0306-4530(92)90016-Z.Strassmann, Beverly I. “Menstrual Synchrony Pheromones: Cause for Doubt.” Human Reproduction, vol. 14, no. 3, 1999, pp. 579–580. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/14.3.579.
Schank, Jeffrey C. “Do Human Menstrual-Cycle Pheromones Exist?” Human Nature, vol. 17, no. 4, 2006, pp. 448–470. DOI: 10.1007/s12110-006-1006-y.
