Today’s episode is focused on period taboos, and how menstruation is managed cross culturally. My guest Ila Mostafa published the paper The Real Period Stain: Menstrual Stigma and Its Pressures in South Asia  based on a combination of her research and personal experience in this area. If you’ve ever wondered about menstrual taboos and/or stigma in different cultures, you’ll definitely appreciate this episode. Today’s episode is sponsored by the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook. The first fully customizable paper charting workbook of it’s kind, available in both Fahrenheit and Celsius editions. Click here to grab your copy today! Listen to The Fifth Vital Sign for free with your free 30 day trial of Audible! Click here to listen now. Topics discussed in today's episode: What brought Ila to studying menstrual stigmas Ila’s personal experience with menstruation and how it differed How Ila defines menstrual stigma and what impact it has on our lives How different religions view women’s menstruation How menstrual stigmas effect women’s lives How Ila reconciles the public’s view points on menstruation and how it relates to her personal experience Women feel menstrual stigmas in different ways What are the different menstrual stigmas? What it looks like for women who do not have access to feminine hygiene products Ila’s advice on how can we make this better for everyone who have a period based on Ila’s research, interviews and experience. Connect with Lisa: You can connect with Lisa on Facebook, Twitter, and on her website. Resources mentioned: The Real Period Stain: Menstrual Stigma and Its Pressures in South Asia The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles & Optimize Your Fertility (Book) | Lisa Hendrickson-Jack Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting Workbook Fertility Awareness Mastery Online Self-Study Program Related podcasts & blog posts: FFP 299 | End Period Poverty Now | Menstruation in Low Resource Settings | The Period Purse | Jana Girdauskas FFP 173 | Reclaiming Menstruation | The Wisdom and Power of Your Menstrual Cycle | Lara Owen FFP 150 | Harnessing the Power of Your Menstrual Cycle | Wild Power | Alexandra Pope & Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer FFP 064 | Fertility Awareness, Feminism, and Reproductive Freedoms | Geraldine Matus Join the community! Find us in the Fertility Friday Facebook Group. Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast in Apple Podcasts! Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic A Special Thank You to Our Show Sponsors: Fertility Friday | Fertility Awareness Programs This episode is sponsored by my Fertility Awareness Programs! Master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles and how they relate to your overall health! Click here to apply now! The Fertility Awareness Charting Workbook This episode is sponsored by my new book the Fertility Awareness Mastery Charting. Click here to buy now.