Historical Attitudes to Women's Menstruation in Ancient Civilizations

yazdani, marziye; latifi, Seyyed Amir Hossein; Mahmoudi, Seyyed Abdollah

doi:10.22034/cmja.15.3.170

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Volume 15, Issue 3 (12-2025) cmja 2025, 15(3): 170-172 | Back to browse issues page

‎ 10.22034/cmja.15.3.170

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yazdani M, latifi S A H, Mahmoudi S A. Historical Attitudes to Women's Menstruation in Ancient Civilizations. cmja 2025; 15 (3) :170-172
URL: http://cmja.arakmu.ac.ir/article-1-1061-en.html

Historical Attitudes to Women's Menstruation in Ancient Civilizations

Marziye Yazdani¹

, Seyyed Amir Hossein Latifi ^*²

, Seyyed Abdollah Mahmoudi³

1- Master's student in History of Medical Sciences, Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research Center, Department of History of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
2- Associate Professor of Traditional Medicine, Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research Center, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran , seiedalatifi@yahoo.com
3- Assistant Professor of History of Medical Sciences, Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research Center, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran

Abstract: (230 Views)

Letter to the Editor: Menstruation, as one of the most important physiological cycles in women, was regarded in ancient civilizations not only as a biological process but also from spiritual, social, and medical perspectives. In ancient Mesopotamia, menstrual blood symbolized life and fertility and was sometimes associated with supernatural forces, with treatments for related disorders, including herbal remedies and religious rituals. In ancient India, Ayurvedic texts considered menstruation (Artava) sacred and an indicator of women’s health, describing its characteristics in terms of the balance of the three doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha), and prescribing treatments, such as dietary regulation, medicinal plants, and oil-based or thermal therapies. Traditional Chinese Medicine viewed menstruation as a reflection of energy balance and Qi flow, with its disturbances attributed to Yin-Yang imbalance; treatments included herbal medicine, acupuncture, and lifestyle modifications. In ancient Iran, Pahlavi, and Zoroastrian texts, such as the Bundahin, divided the menstrual cycle into three stages Pē-ābest, Ābest, and Datān addressing fertility periods, the influence of gamete sequence on fetal sex, and menstrual restrictions. These studies indicate that ancient civilizations’ perspectives on menstruation combined physiological understanding, traditional therapeutic practices, and cultural-spiritual dimensions, and that ancient Iranian knowledge of reproductive physiology demonstrated notable accuracy and systematic insight.

Keywords: Menstruation, Ancient Civilization, Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ancient Iran, Hippocrates

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Type of Study: Review Paper | Subject: Traditional medicine

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