Menstrual cups are little reusable silicone cups that ‘catch’ your period. You can buy them online for about $50, and they are a valid alternative to tampons.
There are measurements on the side so you an see how much blood has come out. Some sizes are recommended for women 30 and over and for women under 30 and who have given birth vaginally, or for women under 30 who haven’t given birth vaginally.1 Check the instructions on your brand of choice.2
How to put a menstrual cup into your vagina
The moon cup suctions onto the vaginal wall about half way up into the vagina, not up against the cervix. Squeeze the cup together, and push it inside your vagina holding the body of the cup. It is in far enough when you hear it pop open.3 Make sure it is in place properly, and then go about your business as per usual. Make sure you monitor, at least at first, when you should take it out, rinse it off with water, and reinsert.4
What not to do with menstrual cups
Don’t have sex with a moon cup in, simply because your period could go everywhere. Be careful taking the cup out, as there is no lid on it. Blood may be spilled.
What can go wrong when using a menstrual cup?
You can have a hard time removing the moon cup if it goes too far up and you can’t reach the silicone stem. You need a good grip to pull it out, as it works via suction. The most common reason for leaks is the moon cup sitting too high up in the vagina.
Blood will come out the side if you have a heavy flow and don’t remove it often enough. Make sure you wash your hands before inserting or removing the moon cup because you don’t want to introduce bacteria from your grimy mits.
Period options besides menstrual cups include:
References
- 1.Manley H, Hunt JA, Santos L, Breedon P. Comparison between menstrual cups: first step to categorization and improved safety. Womens Health (Lond Engl). Published online January 2021. doi:10.1177/17455065211058553
- 2.Hennegan J, Orozco A, Head A, Marino JL, Jayasinghe Y, Lim MSC. Menstrual cup acceptability and functionality in real‐world use: A cross‐sectional survey of young people in Australia. Aust NZ J Obst Gynaeco. Published online December 13, 2024. doi:10.1111/ajo.13910
- 3.Mouhanna JN, Simms-Cendan J, Pastor-Carvajal S. The Menstrual Cup. JAMA. Published online April 4, 2023:1114. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.1172
- 4.Wunsch N, Green SJ, Adam S, Hampton J, Phillips-Howard PA, Mehta SD. In Vitro Study to Assess Effective Cleaning Techniques for Removing Staphylococcus aureus from Menstrual Cups. IJERPH. Published online January 27, 2022:1450. doi:10.3390/ijerph19031450
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