Do women in prison have menstrual periods at the same time or is it a myth ?
Pheromones play a such a strong role in reproduction that I doubt the claim that some women in prison have menstrual periods at the same time is a complete myth. Pheromones are odours detected by olfactory bulbs which are mediated by the VNO which is an organ that controls the effects pheromones on reproductive cycles. Thus these pheromones act as external signals to others. One of the main effects of pheromones that would cause women in prisons to have similar menstrual patterns is called the Whitten Effect. This is where the oestrus cycles of women are sychronised due to females being housed together (+ the odour of men (or urine)). The other two main effects of pheromones in mammals (if you’re interested) are the Lee-Boot Effect where the oestrus cycles of women slow down or even stop when females are housed together without ANY presence of men; and the Vandenborgh Effect where there is an acceleration of the onset of puberty in young females due to the odour of males (or urine).
