France, Nov. 15 -- The reports have been collected by Lacrymos de Sang ("Tear gas of blood"), a collective of activists and health workers which launched an appeal for testimonies about a month ago.

"I really wanted the public to be better informed about the health problems linked to exposure to tear gas," said its founder, Eva-Luna Tholance. "Very quickly, it got a bit out of hand and we received more than 10,000 testimonies."

Women who responded have described experiencing painful periods, unusual bleeding and disrupted cycles after exposure to tear gas, which police have used to disperse protestors during the recent demonstrations over poor school conditions and the soaring cost of living.

One woman, Laurie, said she was subjected t...