Changes

'''Menstruation''' or '''menses''' occurs at the end of a [[placenta]]l [[mammal]]'s menstrual cycle. There are two types of menstruation:

'''Menstruation''' or '''menses''' occurs at the end of a [[placenta]]l [[mammal]]'s menstrual cycle. There are two types of menstruation:

* Overt menstruation, occurring in [[human]]s and [[great apes]], in which some of the lining of the [[uterus]] is shed and expelled from the body;

* Overt menstruation, occurring in [[human]]s and [[Hominidae|great apes]], in which some of the lining of the [[uterus]] is shed and expelled from the body;

* Covert menstruation, occurring in all other placental mammals, in which the [[endometrium]] is reabsorbed without being expelled.

* Covert menstruation, occurring in all other placental mammals, in which the [[endometrium]] is reabsorbed without being expelled.

A number of hypotheses have been put forth regarding the purpose or benefit of menstruation:

A number of hypotheses have been put forth regarding the purpose or benefit of menstruation:

* The ancient physician [[Hippocrates]] held that menstruation was the body's means of purging itself of bad [[humor]]s, based on his belief that an excess of blood in the body led to health problems;

* The ancient physician [[Hippocrates]] held that menstruation was the body's means of purging itself of bad [[humor]]s, based on his belief that an excess of blood in the body led to health problems;

* Margie Profet argues that menstruation was the body's means of purging the uterus and reproductive system of bacterial infection, based on the fact that menstrual blood contains an unusually large amount of macrophages, or immune cells;<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8210311</ref>

* Margie Profet argues that menstruation was the body's means of purging the uterus and reproductive system of bacterial infection, based on the fact that menstrual blood contains an unusually large amount of macrophages, or immune cells;<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8210311</ref>

* Beverly Strassmann argued that the purpose of menstruation is energy conservation—that the endometrium is very energy-intensive, so it is more efficient to maintain it for only part of the time.  "Endometrial economy," she argued, preserves the metabolic equivalent of six days worth of food for women.<ref>Strassmann, Beverly I. (1996) "The Evolution of Endometrial Cycles and Menstruation", Quarterly Review of Biology 71, 2(June): 181-221.</ref>

* Beverly Strassmann argued that the purpose of menstruation is energy conservation—that the endometrium is very energy-intensive, so it is more efficient to maintain it for only part of the time.  "Endometrial economy," she argued, preserves the metabolic equivalent of six days worth of food for women.<ref>Strassmann, Beverly I. (1996) "The Evolution of Endometrial Cycles and Menstruation", Quarterly Review of Biology 71, 2(June): 181-221.</ref>

* Elsimar M. Coutinho argues that menstruation acted as a sign that a woman had failed to conceive in the past, and as such is now "obsolete" and should be "cured" by modern medicine.<ref>Elsimar M. Coutinho, ''Is Menstruation Obsolete?''</ref>

* Elsimar M. Coutinho argues that menstruation acted as a sign that a woman had failed to conceive in the past, and as such is now "obsolete" and should be "cured" by modern medicine.<ref>Elsimar M. Coutinho, ''Is Menstruation Obsolete?''</ref>

== Overt and covert menstruation ==

== Overt and covert menstruation ==

Both overt menstruation and covert menstruation, the majority of the endometrium is reabsorbed.  This leaves us with the question: why do humans and great apes experience overt menstruation?  Some speculate that the sophistication and size of the endometrium required to support a human and great ape fetus.  It may simply be too large to be reabsorbed, and the excess material is expelled via overt menstruation.<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8693059</ref>

Both overt menstruation and covert menstruation, the majority of the endometrium is reabsorbed.  This leaves us with the question: why do humans and great apes experience overt menstruation?  Some speculate that the sophistication and size of the endometrium required to support a human and great ape fetus.  It may simply be too large to be reabsorbed, and the excess material is expelled via overt menstruation.<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8693059</ref>

==Menstruation and the Bible==

==Menstruation and the Bible==

An abstract for the L.L. Ben-Noun 2003 article in the ''European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology'' entitled "What is the biblical attitude towards personal hygiene during vaginal bleeding?" states the following:  

An abstract for the L.L. Ben-Noun 2003 article in the ''European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology'' entitled "What is the biblical attitude towards personal hygiene during vaginal bleeding?" states the following:  

{{cquote|To analyze biblical passages associated with personal hygiene during vaginal bleeding. According to the Bible, a woman who is menstruating or who has pathological vaginal bleeding is unclean. Anybody who touches such a woman's bed or her personal things is also regarded as unclean and should therefore, wash carefully. Sexual relations are forbidden within 7 days from the beginning of menstruation and during pathological vaginal bleeding. Seven days after the cessation of vaginal bleeding, a woman is considered as clean, and therefore, sexual contacts are permitted. From a modern perspective sexual contacts during menses are associated with the development of chlamydial and gonococcal diseases, the risk of transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus infection, endometriosis and subsequent infertility.This report indicates that the roots of contemporary obstetric preventive medicine can be traced to Biblical times.<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12475597?dopt=Abstract</ref>}}

{{cquote|To analyze biblical passages associated with personal hygiene during vaginal bleeding. According to the Bible, a woman who is menstruating or who has pathological vaginal bleeding is unclean. Anybody who touches such a woman's bed or her personal things is also regarded as unclean and should therefore, wash carefully. Sexual relations are forbidden within 7 days from the beginning of menstruation and during pathological vaginal bleeding. Seven days after the cessation of vaginal bleeding, a woman is considered as clean, and therefore, sexual contacts are permitted. From a modern perspective sexual contacts during menses are associated with the development of chlamydial and gonococcal diseases, the risk of transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus infection, endometriosis and subsequent infertility.This report indicates that the roots of contemporary obstetric preventive medicine can be traced to Biblical times.<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12475597?dopt=Abstract</ref>}}

Also, modern science has only very recently discovered that following such rules dramatically reduces the rate of [[illegitimacy]].<ref>[http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120604182027.htm How Religion Promotes Confidence About Paternity]</ref>  [[CreationWiki]] sees the biblical injunction about a man not sleeping with a woman who is menstruating as one of the many examples of [[Bible scientific foreknowledge]].<ref>http://creationwiki.org/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge</ref>

Also, modern science has only very recently discovered that following such rules dramatically reduces the rate of [[illegitimacy]].<ref>[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120604182027.htm How Religion Promotes Confidence About Paternity]</ref>  [[CreationWiki]] sees the biblical injunction about a man not sleeping with a woman who is menstruating as one of the many examples of [[Bible scientific foreknowledge]].<ref>http://creationwiki.org/Bible_scientific_foreknowledge</ref>

==References==

==References==