Do you want to be healthy? Of course yes. Do you want to be healthy during your periods too? Of course yes — but is that a possibility? We know that periods are the most miserable time of the month for women from time immemorial and we have tolerated this discomfort thinking that there was no other option for us. We suffer innumerable problems during periods, which we think are the norm. A lot of them occur especially when using disposable sanitary pads, like chaffing of thighs and the genitals; contact dermatitis or burning sensation in the intimate parts; repeated urinary tract infections due to E-coli being carried from the anal area to the urethra and an increased chance of reproductive tract infection. Vaginal infections and white discharge per vagina due to bacterial vaginosis; a bad smell associated with periods; blood staining of clothes with the embarrassment associated with it; the visible bulge of the pads in the clothes worn; repeated changing of the pads and looking for places to throw it; the repeated expense of buying disposable sanitary pads month on month per year for 40 yrs.
Every sanitary pad and tampon needs to be disposed of, and because they are made of 95% plastic they will never break down and will live on earth as microplastics. Huge mountains of sanitary waste are going to the landfill on a daily basis (Bengaluru produces 1,00,000 kg of sanitary waste a day). The dioxins and furans which are used as bleaching agents to whiten the pad are the most harmful and carcinogenic agents that can facilitate the occurrence of cervical cancer. Using tampons can absorb all the vaginal secretions and lead to vaginal infection-interference with the vaginal microbiome. An increased risk of Toxic Shock syndrome when using tampons can be a very serious problem.
The 21st century has brought us many brilliant devices, including the mobile phone which everyone in the world has learnt to use. There have been advances in all walks of life, medicine, engineering, information technology, communications etc. One such brilliant innovation which has come to menstrual hygiene is the menstrual cup. Using this is the most liberating experience and even makes women forget that they’re on their period. Unlike the disposal of sanitary napkins and tampons that are made of many harmful products like styrene, chloromethane, acetone and chloroethane, the menstrual cup is made of medical-grade silicone, a material that is used to make all medical devices like stents, catheters, etc., which means it does no harm to the body. Further, the cup holds about 20 ml of blood, while the pad absorbs only 5 ml. The cup, therefore, has thrice the holding capacity of a sanitary pad/tampon.
A cloth pad, with an improved contemporary design, is another reusable menstrual hygiene product available for young adolescent menstruators. A set of 5-7 cloth pads last 30-40 months, and teenagers typically need a total of 20 in 10 yrs — thus creating negligible garbage as compared to disposable products.
Once an adult woman, the first choice for menstrual hygiene is the menstrual cup. especially if she is sexually active and/ or married. Yes, there is a learning curve to its usage, but 90% of women will get used to it within three cycles. Also do not worry, if a woman is comfortable using a tampon then inserting the cup into the vagina is easy. A fact to remember is that the diameter of the cup is 4 cm which is less than 10 cm — the average size of a baby’s head which passes through the same vagina during normal delivery.
Ease of use
A menstrual cup is very easy to use. It requires very little water to clean (just a small cup of normal water is adequate). There is no need to use hot water or soap to wash the cup because the vagina is an unsterile organ with lots of organisms that live in it normally. You feel squeaky clean as there is no feeling of wetness because all the blood collects in the cup and 95% of the time there is no leaking. Vaginal discharge is reduced and there are no chances of infection. There are fewer chances of urinary tract infections too. Unlike sanitary pads, the frequency of changes is less as the capacity is 20+ ml. One must remember to remove it once in 12 hrs at least. One need not remove the cup when passing urine or stools as women have three openings down under and the cup remains in the middle passage. Each menstrual cup can be used for 8-10 years and the cost is 95% lesser than that of disposable sanitary pads. Even cloth pads cost about 50% less than disposable pads. As it is reusable, one menstrual cup will create little or no trash, saving about 1,500 pads from going to the landfill in 10 years.
Blood does not undergo any change in the menstrual cup so no smell or bacteria remain outside the cup. Period pain/dysmenorrhea is reduced, and there are no rashes in the thighs. The cup is unaffected by rain and mobility is the biggest advantage as one can do all activities without any hesitation.
(The author is a retired fertility specialist and an advocate of sustainable living who is passionate about women converting to using the menstrual cup. She can be reached at meenakshibharath@gmail.com)