[Avodah] female reproductive system

[Dr. Josh Backon]

R. Arie Folger mentioned:


>Rabbi Willig claims that even today there is hargashah, but because we are
>running around all day, we aren't attuned to our bodily developments. IIRC,
>he believes that at the time when taharot were being treated, women would
>separate on their day of onah and wait to see when what will happen.
>
>Another theory is that artificial lighting and other modern amenities have
>upset our biological clocks and sent them out of whack.
>
>I let the 'hevrah speculate on which is a better guess and whether there are
>other plausible theories.



Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 1:31 +0200
From: BACKON at vms.huji.ac.il
Subject: 
<http://www.aishdas.org/avodah/vol04/v04n033.shtml/avodah/getindex.cgi?section=C#CHANGES 
IN NATURE AND HIL NIDDAH>Re: Changes in Nature and Hil. Niddah

[Post  from AVODAH archives]

There are many factors (dietary, stress, autonomic) that can affect
the menstrual cycle. My guess is that in the past 65 years, both
oligomenorrhea and normal cycle lengths with anovulation or short luteal
phase have increased as a result of dietary factors [e.g. vegetarianism
may induce menstrual cycle irregularity (See: Am J Clin Nutrition 1999;
70(Suppl 3) 549s); decreased dietary fat affects autonomic activity
(Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiology 1999 26:656-660); increased phytoestrogens
in the diet (e.g. soya) or pseudo-estrogens leached from plastic containers]
as well as changes in environmental lighting (effect of pineal hormones
on fertility).

And with the primacy of the autonomic nervous system regulating ovulation,
reproduction, and cervical secretions (see: Human Reproduction 1993;8:1168;
Pharmacol Rev 1972;24:657-736) *anything* that affects the ANS will effect
changes in cycle length (and this ranges from watching too much television (!)
to type of mattress used for sleeping, from native language spoken to
sleep-work schedules).

A recent paper (late 1998) showed that in primitive societies (Africa, etc.)
cycle length has not changed over the past 3 generations.

To sum up: it is very likely that due to environmental factors (diet, stress,
autonomic) a VEST KAVUA today is quite rare in the USA, Europe or Israel.
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And this may also explain the lack of feeling of "hargasha" as well.

Josh