Menstrual Cups: A Safe Option for Women

       A menstrual cup is a feminine hygiene device that is inserted into the vagina during menstruation. Its purpose is to collect menstrual fluid (blood from uterine lining) and prevent its leaking onto clothes. Menstrual cups are usually made of flexible medical grade silicone and shaped like a bell with a stem. The stem is used for insertion and removal. The bell-shaped cup seals against the vaginal wall just below the cervix. Every 4–12 hours (depending on the amount of flow), the cup is removed, emptied, rinsed, and reinserted. After each period, the cup should be boiled for at least 5 minutes and stored for use the next month.

        Girls and women need effective, safe, and affordable menstrual products, but lack of knowledge, prejudice, costs, and safety fears can hinder them from trying the full range of available products. Although agencies typically select single-use products for resource-poor settings, the menstrual cup is a less known but potentially feasible option. 

Unlike tampons and pads, cups collect menstrual fluid rather than absorbing it^. One cup is reusable for up to five years or more. This makes their long-term cost lower than that of disposable tampons or pads, though the initial cost is higher. Menstrual cups are also promoted as more practical and eco-friendly than pads and tampons. Given that the menstrual cup is reusable, its use greatly decreases the amount of waste generated from menstrual cycles, as there is no daily waste and the amount of discarded packaging decreases as well.

Most menstrual cup brands sell a smaller and a larger size. Menstrual cups are sold colorless and translucent, but several brands also offer colored cups, such as pink or purple.

Menstrual cups are a safe option relative to other forms of menstrual hygiene

How to use-

       Every beginning can be difficult – including trying a menstrual cup for the first time. However we can assure you, there’s nothing to fear.

Here are five simple steps on how to use a menstrual cup:

1. Sterilize the cup 

Before the first use for the period, sterilize the cup in boiling water for 3-5 minutes.

2. Fold and insert the folded cup

There are many ways to fold the cup, Many recommend the Punch Down fold and the C-fold. Once the entire cup is inside of you, simply let it pop open.  

3. Check if the cup is unfolded

Reach in and feel around the base of the cup – it should feel round or oval and not have any noticeable folds. If you feel any dents, gently grip the base of the cup (not the stem) and rotate it to make it unfold.

4. Remove the menstrual cup

Pull slightly on the stem while using your abdominal muscles to push the Cup downwards until you can reach the base. 

Give the base of the cup a pinch to release the suction and ease it out. Avoid removing your menstrual cup by pulling the stem as this might cause discomfort.

5. Empty, Clean and re-insert. 

It may take you a few days or a few periods to become comfortable with the cup.