Are Mosquitoes More Attracted to You on Your Period?

During the menstrual period, women are exposed to chemicals related to estrogen. These hormones are believed to make females more attractive to mosquitoes. However, it is unclear whether they attract mosquitoes more than men.

In addition to a woman’s estrogen, other factors can influence her chances of being bitten. For example, she might be more attractive to mosquitoes if she has a high metabolic rate, if her body is hot, or if she wears dark clothing.

According to a 2011 study, people with a lower diversity of bacteria on their skin are more attracted to mosquitoes than others. This could be because of the secondary smells from their skin, such as carbon dioxide. In addition, a study in Africa found that, at certain stages of pregnancy, mosquitoes were more likely to bite pregnant women.

Other factors that can influence a person’s likelihood of being bitten by a mosquito include the temperature of the air and whether a person’s blood type is A or O. Blood type O is more attractive to mosquitoes, while blood type A is less so.

Mosquitoes are also attracted to compounds on a person’s skin, such as lactic acid, which is released when a person exercises. They are also attracted to carbon dioxide from a person’s exhalation. The American Mosquito Control Association claims there are more than 400 magnetic compounds on a person’s body.

One reason for the attraction of mosquitoes to a woman’s menstrual blood is that the body releases cortisol, a hormone, when a woman is ovulating. This hormone is broken down into estradiol, a substance that mosquitoes are attracted to.

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