4 fertility myths that are just WRONG 😵 💣

1. You can lose your virginity to a tampon. 

Let's get this straight once and for all: using a tampon can’t “de-virginize” a person. A "virgin" is someone who has never had sexual intercourse. While some cultures view the unbroken hymen as a mark of virginity and a tampon *may* damage the hymen, that doesn't mean you're no longer a virgin. The hymen can rip during medical exams or rigorous physical activity as well. Plus, some women are born without hymens and most hymens slowly stretch with time.  Anyone saying you’re not a virgin because you used a tampon either has no idea what they’re talking about. So don't let your hymen stop by you from wearing a tampon, kay? Actually, don't let your hymen stop you from doing ANYTHING. (Remember that scene in Wonder Woman where she’s about to kick some nefarious guy’s butt but then she’s like “Oh no, I might tear my hymen, maybe I should just stay indoors and learn to knit hand-towels.”  Cool, yes, we don’t remember it either.  

2. If your period is late, you are pregnant! 

Late period panic is THE WORST.  But before you run to the store for a pregnancy test, remember this: your period can be late due to any number of reasons - stress, a change in exercise or eating habits, or your birth control. It's most likely you just ovulated a little later this month. Don’t freak out the second it’s late and run into the drugstore where you also buy two Snickers bars and a pencil sharpener and a bottle of mango-scented body wash and a hairbrush to distract from the fact that you’re buying a pregnancy test.  Because there’s a chance you may not need any of those things. (Although seriously, a decent pencil sharpener is always a good thing to have in the house!)  If you think you're pregnant, definitely take a test.  Just know that there could be other reasons your flow is MIA.

3. You totally cannot get pregnant while you are on your period. 

Your period doesn't protect you from pregnancy. The probability of getting pregnant during your period is lower, but it happens. A lot more than you think. Here is why: Sperm can live 3 to 5 days in your uterus, hanging out waiting for an egg to drop by. So if you happen to have sex on Day 5 of your cycle and ovulate on Day 10 of your cycle, you could totally be registering at Babies-r-us on Day 30 of your cycle. Whaaaa? Yikes.

4. When you take birth control, you lose your fertility and can never get pregnant. 

Okay, not only is this not true, but in fact, it is quite the opposite. A study in the Journal of Human Reproduction found that women who used the contraceptive pill for more than five years were actually more likely to get pregnant within six months to a year than women who never took the pill. Once you stop taking the pill, the hormone supplements are usually out of your body within a couple of days or weeks. Without the hormones, your menstrual cycle should return to normal within three months or so. Sweet!