World Menstrual Hygiene Day 2019: Why it is time to ditch tampons, pads and switch to menstrual cup instead

World Menstrual Hygiene Day is observed on May 28 to highlight the importance of good menstrual health and hygiene. An initiative that was started by the German-based NGO WASH United in 2014 that aims to benefit women and girls worldwide, this particular day is an eye-opener for people to talk, without any filter, the importance of menstrual hygiene. Period or menstruation after all, is simply a breakdown of the cellular linings of the uterus that is accompanied by bleeding.

So, why is the subject surrounding menstrual hygiene still tabooed that thousands of women have to bear the consequence of it with their health and even their lives?

• Menstrual cups, an alternative to pads and tampons is a flexible device worn inside the vagina during menstruation to collect menstrual fluid. Typically made of silicone or rubber, menstrual cups are reusable, clean and above all hygienic. You insert into the vagina, empty the cup when full, wash it and then place it back in your vagina.
• In addition, to so many women feeling cleaner with the use of menstrual cups in comparison to tampons and pads, does not dry you out or disrupt your vaginal ph levels because menstrual cups collect rather than absorb fluids that are a natural and necessary vaginal secretion which are absorbed when using tampons or pads.
• Menstrual cups don’t require a constant every 3 to 4-hour change. You can insert it in the morning when you wake up, empty it in the evening when you are back home and put it back during the night. If case of heavy flow you might want to empty it once at mid-day. In addition, menstrual cups don’t’ restrict physical movement be it yoga, cycling, running, horse riding, swimming given the fact that it can stay inside the vagina for long.
• Above all, the material used in menstrual cups has natural antibacterial properties, and washes clean.  So menstrual cups are healthy and perfectly safe to re-use as recommended.