Menstrual cup: how to use it, opinions of gynecologists and which one to choose
Have you ever heard of the menstrual cup? It is one of the most valid, as well as economic and ecological, alternatives to the traditional tampon or sanitary napkin normally used by women during the menstrual cycle. Specifically, a menstrual cup means a type of barrier that is worn inside the vagina during the days of the cycle to collect menstrual fluid.
The fundamental difference with respect to other methods consists in collecting, and not absorbing, the menstrual flow, an aspect that should not be underestimated for the following reason: the absorption of traditional systems, such as internal or external tampons, is not limited to menstrual flow but also to the cervical mucus, which is actually a strong anti-bacterial, able to create a natural protective barrier between the vagina and the uterus in the cervical cavity, thus preventing bacteria and other foreign organisms from entering the uterine cavity.
Although its use is not yet widespread, there are many advantages that the menstrual cup has compared to traditional systems. For example, consider that sanitary pads are among the major causes of environmental pollution.
Types of menstrual cup
There are two different types of menstrual cups:
- the most common model is a reusable cup shaped in the shape of a bell, made of medical silicone or TPE about 5 cm long excluding the extractor and usually available in two sizes. This type of cup can last up to 10 years.
- the second type is instead a disposable and single-use cup that looks similar to the contraceptive diaphragm, with a diameter of about 7.5 cm.
Menstrual cups can be purchased at pharmacies, health food stores, herbalists or more conveniently on Amazon.
Here they are both:
Price of the menstrual cup
The menstrual cup has a range price ranging from 10 € to 35 €. There are different purchase solutions that affect the price: you can buy two cups at an affordable price, choosing for example to take more sizes to test, reaching € 20; or you can buy a complete kit with cup holder, sanitizer and cup, spending around € 30-35
- Check out the menstrual cup options on offer on Amazon.
Opinion of gynecologists about the menstrual cup
In general, the cup is well accepted by gynecologists, especially as a replacement for tampons whose use is less hygienic and more risky. The cup is made of hypoallergenic materials and can safely be used even by latex allergy sufferers. However, it is not recommended to use it after a natural birth, an abortion or an operation, which make the area much more sensitive.
However, there are some conflicting opinions, mostly due to two reasons:
- 1) the cup does not allow the complete outflow of menstrual blood on all walls, an action that has a cleaning function for the vagina;
- 2) the stagnation of blood inside the cup, which can last for 8-9 hours without having to be emptied, could give rise to the proliferation of bacteria, even quite harmful.
A plausible solution could be to change and clean the cup more frequently than the possible hours to reach the total capacity.
How to use the menstrual cup
The menstrual cup is inserted inside the vagina at any time during the menstrual cycle. Normally the lubrication provided by the menstrual fluid should be sufficient, but if necessary, lubricant or cold water can be used to facilitate insertion. .
- The bell-shaped cup tends to position itself correctly by itself once inserted and does not need to be placed in contact with the uterine cervix, unlike the second type of disposable cup, or in a specific angle.
- The disposable cup is prepared by flattening the edge against itself and is then inserted in the middle of the vaginal tract and pushed close to the uterine cervix, where the particular internal conformation of the female body holds it in place.
At the beginning of each menstrual cycle, the cup must be sterilized in a saucepan with boiling water for about 5 minutes and then, once cooled, it will be inserted into the vagina. At each extraction and change, it is advisable to rinse the cup with running water and insert it quickly to avoid bacteria It is not always necessary to use soap, which can cause irritation.
How to put on the menstrual cup
To insert the reusable menstrual cup, after having thoroughly washed the anuses, we can use various folding techniques. Here are the simplest to make:
- The C-shaped closure: bring the lips of the cup closer to form a line and then close the two ends towards the center until you obtain, precisely, a C.
- The tulip closure: place your finger on one end and push the lip of the cup inwards until the total diameter is drastically reduced.
- The closure at 7: bring the lips of the cup closer to form a line and lower only one of the two sides forming a triangle with the tip down
As you may have seen, removing the menstrual cup is not as complex as it is believed. Just get used to learning about your body. If you have held the cup for a while, beyond 5 hours, it will be likely that the cup has risen a little. pee (sitting comfortably on the toilet if you are at home or as you can if you are in a public bathroom), and push down slightly with the pelvic muscles. When the cup is graspable, just take the stem and pull it slightly by moving the cup to the right and left to eliminate the vacuum effect, thanks to the holes in the upper part. If it is not eliminated, just press the lower part lightly with your index finger and thumb to let the air in. At that point, the cup will gently come out.
Rinse it with a little water (from the sink or if you don't have one available, from a bottle), and reinsert it comfortably.
What is the best menstrual cup? How to choose it
Choosing the best menstrual cup means choosing it based on the tone of our pelvic floor, those pelvic muscles that support the rectum, uterus, vagina, bladder and urethra. In principle, there are 3 types of pelvic floor:
- Pelvic floor with normal tone: Most women physiologically have an average toned pelvic floor.
- pelvic floor with high tonicity: some women, thanks to specific exercises or practicing a lot of sport, or due to excessive weight or obesity, have a very toned pelvic floor. The pelvic floor that is too toned can also depend on painful situations that push to a continuous contraction of that musculature.
- pelvic floor with reduced tone: generally resulting from births, pregnancies and significant weight losses. A decrease in the tone of the pelvic floor can be observed when, following a strong cough or hearty laughter, small losses of urine occur.
In general, a gynecologist or obstetrician can help you understand how toned your pelvic floor is. Given the existence of these options, 3 different constitutions of the reusable menstrual cup have been devised, namely:
- 1) tonic menstrual cup: they can be used safely by those with a normal pelvic floor, but they are particularly suitable for those with a more toned pelvic floor than average, also obtained thanks to a lot of sport. The tonic cup has the advantage of opening internally more easily than a soft cup but, if not used by those with a suitable pelvic floor, it can cause discomfort and generate that small sensation of internal pressure. In general, a more toned cup is not synonymous with stiffness because all cups are designed not to give any kind of problem. For this case, one of the best-selling cups is Mamicup® (buy for € 19.90), with a score of 4.4 out of 5 stars and more than 390 reviews!
- 2) semi-toned menstrual cup: those with an average pelvic floor can opt for a semi-toned cup which is the right mediation between a soft and a super toned one.We recommend the Loovara natural rubber menstrual cup, because it is slightly more structured and is more recommended for pelvic floors with a little lower tone. (Buy it on Amazon for € 19.95)
- 3) soft menstrual cup: suitable for those with a hypotonic pelvic floor, even after a birth, and for those with a particularly sensitive pelvic area. The soft cup is therefore suitable for those who need more delicacy but can take a little longer to open and settle internally. If this seems to be your case, we recommend the model. Soft of the Sileu Cup menstrual cup (buy on Amazon for € 11.99), because it is made of extra soft rubber and its ends are rounded!
In general, the problems that can be encountered with the wrong choice of cup are two:
- if I choose a cup that is too toned but I have a soft pelvic floor: the risk is that the cup will move or go up and down, creating a sensation of pressure and generating leaks.
- if I choose a cup that is too soft and I have a toned pelvic floor: the risk is that the cup will not open properly and give rise to leaks.
The solution is, if you do not have the opportunity to ask your gynecologist, to do some tests by trying two different types of cups. Taking advantage of it for a gynecological consultation, however, can always be useful, also to regulate with another factor that can influence the choice of the cup: the position of the uterine cervix, especially during menstrual flow. Those who, for example, have a low cervix, will be better off with a shorter cup in its entirety (although remember that the stem can be shortened).
What size to choose for the menstrual cup?
Generally, each cup has at least two sizes: the small (or S) cup and the large (or L) cup. The choice of cup size depends mainly on 3 factors: the number of births, age, menstrual flow. The small cup is more suitable for women under the age of 30 who have never given birth. large size is most recommended for women over the age of 30 who have given birth. In fact, there are many girls who are under 30 and may not have given birth yet who opt for a large cup due to heavy menstrual flow and vice versa, there are adult women who have given birth but continue to get along well with small cups thanks to their low flow.As with everything related to the intimate sphere, subjectivity plays an important role.
The advantages of the cup
- it is cheap: it costs from 12 euros upwards, but is quickly amortized within a few cycles (consider also the fact that the bell-shaped menstrual cup has a duration of 10 years)
- it is ecological
- it does not absorb but collects the menstrual flow, thus avoiding also taking cervical mucus which, as we have seen before, acts as a strong natural anti-bacterial, protecting the uterine cavity from any external bacteria and organisms
- It is also tolerated by allergic women or those with very sensitive skin
Here is a complete list of the cups available on Amazon
Other ecological alternatives to the traditional sanitary napkin
In addition to the cup, there are other ecological alternatives to traditional sanitary pads:
- non-bleached swabs (and often that do not contain cotton derived from genetically engineered plants)
- Tampons made only with organic products (buy the pack of 18 on Amazon for only € 5.70)
- Sanitary napkins in washable cloth (available on Amazon in sets of 7 pieces for € 15.99)
- Natural sea sponge pads or sanitary pads (reusable several times)
