Menstrual Cups Get An Update

An option for managing menstruation is going through a revival, but it’s not without risk.

- Nicky Pellegrino

For decades, menstruating women were limited to a choice between disposable tampons and sanitary pads, but now there is a mood for change. A younger generation is acutely aware of the environmental impact of the waste we produce and concerned about what they put inside their bodies. So the search is on for a better alternative.

Cottage industries have sprung up producing hand-stitched reusable pads in pretty fabrics. You can buy period-proof undies with built-in wicking fabric and even washable crocheted tampons. But the most practical option so far seems to be menstrual cups.

These have been around since 1937 when US actress and inventor Leona Chalmers obtained a patent for a prototype made of rubber, but American women were reluctant to use it. Now, however, versions made of silicone or a type of medical grade plastic called thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) are becoming increasingly popular. Folded and inserted into the vagina where they open and form a sealed cup, they don’t have to be changed as frequently as tampons and pads; they smell and leak less and, they free women with heavy periods from having to get up during the night.

Athletes have been early adopters, particularly distance runners who previously had to wear multiple tampons and pads to avoid a messy disaster. Swimmers, too, are grateful not to have to deal with waterlogged tampons.

However, not all menstrual cups are created equal, says Robyn McLean of Kiwi brand Hello Cup. A former journalist, she set up her company with childhood friend, registered nurse Mary Bond, after using a cup herself.