Have you heard of Padman? No, right? because it was banned in Pakistan. The reason the censor board cited for its ban was that it was a taboo topic and thus not fit to be screened in the country. The film showed nothing but the life of a person who recognized the problem of girls not receiving proper menstrual care and how that problem could be solved. Taboo enough? The only thing taboo in the movie was that it talked about PADS and Astaghfirullah is it something to talk about?
In Pakistan, going to a shop to buy a packet of sanitary pads or tampons is nothing short of a shame especially if you’re a man! The thing is wrapped in either a blue or black shopping bag and before the shop-keeper slips you the package quietly making sure nobody has seen both of you.
Learn more about women health.
In Pakistan, most women struggle to get sanitary pads due to poverty and lack of awareness. Traditional methods like cloth are prevalent, and some girls even make it a habit to skip school for a few days whenever they experience bleeding from periods. Even among the people who’re aware, most use sanitary pads. It’s usually a taboo to talk about periods. If people are hesitant to talk about periods, how they would even talk hygiene related to it, or different options to go about it?
As mentioned, most women use pads (if they use anything to maintain menstrual hygiene) while few might be using tampons. But there is another alternative, and maybe a better one. Menstrual Cup. It’s better in the long term, easier, and more comfortable solution to maintain your menstruation hygiene.
What’s Menstrual Cup
It’s a female hygiene product just like sanitary pads or tampons. Cup is boiled (to sterilize it) and cooled before use, inserted, and emptied after it becomes full – after about 12 hours. Then it has to be washed, and then reinserted. It’s made up of medical grade silicone (locally manufactured) and it’s very environmentally friendly.
Why Menstrual Cup?
- Costs much lower in the long term than pads/tampons.
- Menstrual cups are reusable while tampons aren’t.
- Also, tampons work by absorbing menstrual fluid via a chemical absorbent while menstrual cup only collects the fluid inside it. Contrary to tampons that can only last about 4 hours, the cup can be left inside for about 12 hours.
Why it matters?
Do you know that a woman on average uses about 11,000 sanitary pads in her life and spends a total of Rs. 120,000 on pads? For the women who use tampons, a woman on average buys about 14,000 tampons during her lifetime.
This not only means huge amount of money being spent over the lifetime of a woman. It’s also producing enormous waste which is damaging for the environment and ultimately for public health.
Menstrual cup can cater to both of these problems and help in the reduction of waste and wastage of money.
Pros
– Wallet-friendly: You only have to buy Menstrual Cup once which lasts for years, for example cup by Recircle
– High safety: Cups are more-safer, unlike tampons where you’re at risk of toxic shock syndrome (a rare bacterial infection) as well any effect by chemical absorbent in it.
– Higher capacity: Cups hold much more blood than tampons.
– Eco-friendly: Since Cups are reusable for a very long time, your impact on the environment is reduced (less waste is produced). If your cup is biodegradable, it might have even zero impact on the environment when disposed off.
Cons
– Cup removal can get messy: If you haven’t learned how to insert the cup properly, it might be difficult or awkward to remove your cup, it could also be caused by certain body position.
– Cup can be tough to insert/remove: It might be tough for some women to insert cup first few times. You might have difficulty getting the right fold, or you might have a hard time pinching the base to pull the cup down and out.
– Hard to fit: Although you definitely can find a size that suits you, you may have to try different sizes to see what fits the best.
– Could be allergic: Some women’s bodies might show allergic reaction to silicone or other material in the cup though it’s rare.
– Could cause irritation: If you try to insert the cup without any lubricant (for example water) it can cause discomfort. Also, if you haven’t washed/cleaned the cup properly it might cause vaginal irritation.
– Increased chance of infection if not washed properly: You should properly wash the cup, rinse it and dry it otherwise it can increase the chance for infection.
Concerns
– Does it hurt?
Inserting the cup for the first few times can be tough, but with few times it’ll become much easier. If it’s placed right, you won’t feel it inside you. But if you do feel discomfort or pain, reinserting or changing its position could help.
– Can it get lost inside my body?
Short answer: no. Long answer: Space between your vagina and cervix is low so it can’t get lost inside your body. However, for some women, they have high cervix which means the cup can go a little deep but never so deep that it can’t be pulled out via fingers.
– Is it even safe?
Yes. It is made with medical-grade silicone so it’s safe for your body and doesn’t cause irritation/interfere with the natural environment of your vagina.
– Will it cause me to lose my virginity?
Simple answer: no.
Long answer: Virginity involves having sex, so the use of a menstrual cup won’t surely affect it. Inserting the cup, however, stretches your hymen but the vagina is elastic. Vagina retains its shape, so it will still be tight again after use of a cup.
Want To Make A Decision?
Don’t feel pressured to use it. Take your time, discuss around, research and once you’re convinced. Only then try it.
You can even talk to a gynaecologist to get professional advice.
Book an appointment now, to answer all your queries. You can book an appointment with the top gynecologists in Pakistan through Marham by calling at Marham helpline: 0311-1222398 or by online appointment booking facility through the website or Marham mobile app.
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