Girls Learn to Scuba Diving: Can I Scuba Diving During My Period?

The simple answer is: Yes, you can.

Women worry about diving during menstruation, and this question is perfectly legit ! It's not the most comfortable time of the month, and it would be too bad if diving would made it worse.

What preparations do we need to do during our period?

When is it not suitable for girls to dive?

Does blood attract sharks?

---

What preparations do we need to do during our period?

Really, diving during your period is totally fine. Wear whatever you would normally wear while swimming - whether it's a tampon or something like that. Many divers "stop" their periods while diving because their vaginal remains closed and the ambient pressure of the water helps prevent any leakage.

Wetsuits are our friend when it comes to periods. The job of a wetsuit is to keep water in and keep you warm. This means that if you do have a little leak (probably when it comes out of the water), no one will know. Maybe not even you! If you have a particularly heavy flow, make sure you bring enough tampons (or whatever you use) and change them as often as possible. You should drink a lot of water anyway, so frequent toilet trips are already a must (because you didn't pee on your rented wetsuit...right?! 😏 )!

When is it not suitable for girls to dive?

One thing to consider is how much your period affects your daily life. Some women experience severe, bad, very severe cramps, migraines, and/or back pain during menstruation. If the only thing you can get yourself to do is curl up on the couch with a thermos, chocolate, and cry in the dark, my advice is to get a blanket and a Netflix account. Honestly, if you're one of those unfortunate people who suffers from severe menstrual pain, take care of yourself first. If you are not normally physically active for the first few days, then postpone your diving until you are either A) out of your period or B) no longer in pain.

Does blood attract sharks?

The last thing people worry about is sharks. Now, if menstrual blood attracts sharks, I'd personally be impressed and encourage every bleeding woman to jump into the sea. In fact, even if you dive in the ocean around sharks, their interest in you will not increase. Research has shown that sharks are curious rather than aggressive when in contact with human blood, but even then they only notice when there is a fair amount in the water (why these people don't seek medical attention, I don't Know). Women only lose a few milliliters of blood each day during menstruation, most of which is the lining of the uterus and water. We also go back to my first point - most women don't bleed when in the water because of our friend's environmental stress and closed vaginal canal.