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Claim: Facebook users Faith Awudu Achonmakai, Adefioye Ibukun Feranmi, and Nwabunwanne Gloria Yahdinma, among others, claim that some women menstruate through their palms and toes.
Verdict: False. There is no scientific evidence to support the claim.
Full Text
On November 12, 2024, Facebook user Faith Awudu Achonmakai asked if people know women can menstruate through their palms and toes. She wrote, “Do you know some ladies menstruate through their palms and toes????”
Similarly, on Nov. 13, 2024, another Facebook user, Adefioye Ibukun Feranmi, shared a similar claim.
“I heard that most ladies menstruate through their palms and toes. How true is this?? But I don’t believe it, ooo.”
On the same day, Nwabunwanne Gloria Yahdinma also posted, “Are you aware that most ladies menstruate through their palms and toes? Please, how true is this??”
Given the unusual nature of this claim concerning women’s health, DUBAWA decided to verify its accuracy.
Verification
Menstruation is a natural and healthy process for most women, with approximately half of the global female population—about 26% of the world’s total population—being of reproductive age. Typically, women menstruate for two to seven days each month. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), an average woman will spend about seven years menstruating.
The Cleveland Clinic defines menstruation as the monthly shedding of the uterus lining. Known also as a period, menses, or menstrual cycle, it involves the discharge of menstrual blood, a combination of blood and tissue from the uterine lining, which flows from the uterus through the cervix and out of the body through the vagina.
But is it possible for women to menstruate through their palms or toes?
DUBAWA’s keyword query found no evidence to support this claim. To clarify further, we sought the expertise of medical professionals.
Experts speak
A gynaecologist, Emmanuel Olowookeere, said the claim is unscientific and baseless, and there is no evidence to support the idea that it occurs through the palms or soles of the feet.
“There is no way a woman can menstruate from the palms or toes. If a woman has redness or sweating on any part of her body, it does not mean she is menstruating from there,” he clarified.
The doctor addressed misconceptions about conditions that could cause unusual symptoms, such as endometriosis.
“Endometriosis occurs when the normal lining of the uterus is found elsewhere in the body, such as the intestines, ovaries, umbilical area, or even the lungs. However, he explained that there is no recorded case of uterine lining on the palms or soles of the feet,” he explained.
“There is no way a woman can menstruate from the palms and the toes. A woman may have redness on any part of her body at any time, but that does not mean she is menstruating from it. Or if the palm is very sweaty or something that is not menstruation, it could be endometriosis where there could be the presence of normal lining of the uterus elsewhere in the body. Still, not in the palm or the sole,” he added.
Dr Emmanuel emphasised that while endometriosis can lead to rare occurrences, such as lesions in the brain, menstruation through the palms or toes remains biologically impossible.
He urged the public to rely on verified medical information rather than unfounded claims.
Another medical practitioner, Adekemi Odeyemi, said it is not typical for women to experience bleeding from other parts of their body during their menstrual period; however, a condition called Endometriosis may cause bleeding outside the uterus.
Odeyemi stated that it cannot be completely ruled out in cases of Endometriosis. She said,
“So, the condition where people can bleed from other parts of their body during their menstrual period is called Endometriosis. This condition is characterised by the presence of the womb tissue in other parts of the body. So, during menses, these other parts can bleed as well. It is, however, not common to bleed from the palms, but the possibility cannot be ruled out.”
What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a chronic medical condition that affects approximately 10% (190 million) of women and girls of reproductive age globally.
According to the World Health Organization, it is characterised by severe pain during menstruation, sexual intercourse, bowel movements, or urination, along with chronic pelvic pain, bloating, nausea, fatigue, and, in some cases, depression and infertility. The condition can begin with a person’s first menstrual period and persist until menopause.
Yale Medicine explains that the endometrium thickens and sheds during a typical menstrual cycle. However, in women with endometriosis, tissue outside the uterus also sheds, leading to pain, inflammation, and the formation of scar tissue. This shedding in the abdomen during menstruation is the primary cause of painful periods in individuals with endometriosis.
A 2019 study by Fawole et al. reported a prevalence rate of 48.1% for asymptomatic endometriosis among Nigerian women. Unfortunately, many women experience delays in diagnosis, which can result in prolonged suffering and diminished quality of life. The study adds that the average delay for diagnosis among women aged 18–45 is approximately 6.7 years.
The common symptoms of endometriosis, as outlined by Cleveland Clinic, include painful menstrual cramps, abdominal or back pain during or between periods, heavy menstrual bleeding or light bleeding between periods, pain during sex (dyspareunia), infertility, and gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhoea, constipation, or bloating.
The exact cause of endometriosis remains unknown, and while there is no cure, treatment options are available to help manage symptoms. These may include medications or, in some cases, surgery. DUBAWA’s findings highlight common areas in the body where endometriosis can occur, including the space behind the uterus, myometrium (a layer of the uterine wall), ovaries, peritoneum, and fallopian tubes.
Despite the challenges of diagnosis and treatment, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, early diagnosis and effective treatment are crucial for improving the quality of life for those affected by the condition.
Conclusion
DUBAWA’s findings reveal that while endometriosis is a real condition that can cause pain and symptoms in various parts of the body during menstruation, it does not lead to menstruation through unconventional body parts like the palms and toes. Menstruation occurs only through the vagina. The claim is false.
