Should I or should I not use a menstrual cup?

What is the menstrual cup?

Menstrual cups are bell-shaped cups mostly made up of silicon or sometimes rubber. However, nowadays they are made up of silicon only as it is easier to use a silicone cup then a rubber cup. They are designed such as to go inside of vagina and collect the blood in them until you remove and clean it. They were first introduced in the 1860s, however, weren’t so famous because of the taboo around insertion into vagina and because of the discomfort caused by the rubber cups but now since they are made up of silicon they are much easy to use. Many women have started promoting the cup as a better alternative to pads and tampons. Is it really a better alternative? Should you use it? Here are some pros and cons of menstrual cup, have a look at them and then it’s up to you to decide whether or not you want to use it.

Pros:-

· They don’t dry out your vagina, unlike the tampons.

· They preserve the necessary bacteria that protect your vagina from infections

· They are completely chemical-free, whereas tampons and pads contain chemicals that can be harmful too.

· They can’t cause you toxic shock syndrome which is a rare, fatigue condition caused due to tampons.

· Due to the use of the cup, menstrual fluids don’t stink as they don’t mix up with air, which is the main cause of the smell.

· You can leave it there for almost 12 hours. Which is not the case with pads and tampons as they need to be changed every 3-4 hours.

· Most women have said that the cup once inserted correctly they don’t even feel it.

· The cup is reusable and can last up to 10 years, which is a huge cost saving. For ten years your tampons and pads may cost you in thousands and lakhs. But your cost is cut down to 500-1000 INR. For ten years which is quite less.

· Since they are reusable, you save enough of garbage that is caused by pads and tampons every year. Therefore, it can be considered environment friendly.

Cons:-

· It’s risky if you are allergic to rubber or silicone/ latex.

· It can be really difficult to find the right fit but once you find it there’s no issue at all.

· Removal of the menstrual cup can get a bit messy and even embarrassing in public washrooms.

· If you are on contraceptive or IUD it can interfere with it. As there’s a chance while removing the cup, the cup could pull the string too.