Menstrual Health Worldwide  

We are all aware of the difficult plight of women in developing countries. Most of these women face challenges in dealing with their monthly cycle, and they do not have adequate feminine hygiene protection options. Many people want to help, yet unfortunately menstrual cups are not necessarily an easy or viable solution for many reasons:

Unlike feminine hygiene products made from fiber (reusable cloth pads or disposable sanitary pads and tampons), menstrual cups are made from silicone and are considerably more costly to  manufacture.

Making disposable feminine hygiene available to women in developing countries poses a serious environmental problem as there is rarely an appropriate infrastructure to handle this type of waste. This type of waste manifests additional health concerns.

Disposables are rarely an option, and when they are available, they are exorbitantly expensive in relation to the local economy.

The washing of a menstrual cup requires potable water and a mild soap. Many communities do not have this luxury; consequently, a menstrual cup is not always a viable solution for these women. A menstrual cup should not be cleaned with non-potable water. A variety of serious gynecological infections may be contracted with the use of unclean water. Please refer to our FAQs about this important topic.

We have learned that some women in difficult economic situations may “share” their cup with other women. This practice is very dangerous when considering STDs, HIV, and gynecological infections. Few of these communities have health care professionals who can address this topic.

Religious and social mores can be complex. Many cultures prohibit the use of internal feminine hygiene protection.

Most importantly, use of a menstrual cup requires some instruction. Many questions arise, even for women who can read and understand the User Guide. Some of those issues are medical in nature, so reliable answers need to be accessible.