Women in the modern world are used to having access to monthly necessities, like tampons and pads, during that time of the month. A quick trip to the store and we can pick up our product of choice. For many women in developing countries, this isn’t the case. Menstrual cups are helping those women live their normal lives,. though, and by offering a safe and affordable solution for the monthly period.
What are menstrual cups? They are silicone cups which act similar to a tampon. The difference is that the cups can be cleaned and reused. This is a major difference from tampons and pads. Women in developing countries often use unsafe alternatives such as newspaper or tree bark to absorb menses?during their period. Think about that for a minute. Imagine using newspaper or tree bark every month. That sounds extremely uncomfortable to me. The cups aren’t, though, and are even easy to clean. Using the cups really isn’t much different from using a tampon, in fact.
There are some health benefits as well to using the cup. The cups are made without chemicals or perfumes, which could irritate the body. The cups do not cause the body to dry out and are made from 100-percent medical silicone. Since the body does not dry out, women maintain their natural lubrication. Finally, there is no risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), unlike use of?tampons. The chart below lists the benefits of pads, tampons, and the cup. The cup can be used by females of any age.
For every cup that is sold, one manufacturing company (Ruby Cup) donates a cup to a girl in need in Kenya. The company also provides training sessions to help girls learn how to use the cups. The girls also learn how to care for?their bodies.
While the menstrual cups may be new to the modern world, it seems they do have benefits and are worth consideration by women. We often spend a lot of money each month purchasing our necessities, like Ruby Cup also points out.
Maybe we should consider purchasing a cup, which has multiple uses, and helps out another girl or woman at the same time. Before you decide, take some time to read and learn about the cup, then make an informed decision.
