KOCHI: Reusable menstrual cups made of medical grade silicone could well be next ‘in-thing’ in women’s personal hygiene. Though Alappuzha municipality has been first off the blocks in Kerala in this regard following the launch of ‘Thinkal’ project in June, it is yet to get wide acceptability among the state’s womenfolk.
Now, the target population is awaiting expert counsel on the viability and utility of menstrual cups. In the initial phase of ‘Thinkal’ project, 5,000 menstrual cups are to be distributed among women of menstruating age who live in the municipality. And 2,500 menstrual cups have been distributed till now.
“Environmental concerns prompted us to launch the project. It is not clear how many women use these new age product. My wife has been using menstrual cups for over a year and she has not experienced any health issues so far. It is after seeking expert opinion from doctors that we decided to implement the project,” said S Jahangir, former Alappuzha municipal secretary, who had taken the initiative to launch the project.
ALSO READ: Go greener with this YouTuber
According to Menstrual Health Alliance India, one sanitary pad could take 500-800 years to decompose. Women in Kerala are yet to come round to the idea, mainly due to lack of easy availability.
“The main reason for promoting menstrual cups is to bring down the environmental pollution caused by soiled sanitary pads. There are not many doctors promoting the use of these cups and their lack of easy availability at druggists and other outlets further reduces their popularity. Though we want to give it a try, menstrual cups are nowhere to be found in stores even in a bustling metropolis like Hyderabad, where I study,” said Nikitha Mariam of Tiruvalla.
Bhagavathy Ammal, ayurveda practitioner, who specialises in treating infertility cases, is strongly opposed to the idea since she believes women run the risk of developing infections in the longer run, if indeed menstrual caps are to replace sanitary napkins.
“I am strongly opposed to women using menstrual cup as it is likely to lead to infections. Though this method is usually preferred by working women, the cup is placed in the highly sensitive uterine area. When the women sit down, the cup is pushed further into the uterine passage and this can prove detrimental,” said Bhagavathy.
Neena Menon, 29, a working woman in Thiruvananthapuram, who has been using menstrual cups for two years, said she hasn’t experienced any problems on account of this. Curiously, a gynaecologist at a private hospital in Ernakulam wasn’t particularly impressed with the new age thing.“I have not recommended menstrual cups to any of my patients. Personal hygiene is of utmost importance while using these cups and once an infection develops, there is a high chance of relapse,” she said.
What prompted Paradigm shift
According to Menstrual Health Alliance India, one sanitary pad could take 500-800 years to decompose.This poses a major threat to environment and is a health hazard