The primary objective was to evaluate the long-term user acceptability of menstrual cups in a student population in South Africa.
A cohort of female students attending ten different education institutions was offered menstrual cups after receiving education and training in their use.
Five hundred nine students were enrolled. Disposable pads were the primary menstrual hygiene product used in the three months before the baseline interview, and 8.1% of students reported that they had used toilet paper or newspapers. Four hundred sixty-three students interviewed at one-month follow-up, 86% said they tried to use the menstrual cup. There was mixed reporting on ease of insertion and removal on first use. Of those who attempted use, half reported that inserting the menstrual cup on first use was very easy or relatively easy. Of those who did not find it easy, 80% said that two to three insertions were required to achieve comfort. The majority who had used the cup reported they would continue to use it at each follow-up visit.
The study concluded that the menstrual cup was well accepted among this student population and should be considered a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable option in menstrual health management initiatives in South Africa.
Reference: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13625187.2020.1815005
