Menstrual discs look and work a bit like contraceptive diaphragms. “When you’re using it during your period, you can just wash it after the use and put it back in,” Katz said. During menstruation people can rinse them with a little water and a mild soap (one without fragrance like what they use to clean their vulva, Lincoln said). Lincoln says it’s done just like one sterilizes a bottle, by putting them in boiling water and allowing them to cool. People need to sterilize their cups after their periods. “The good news is that most people will only need this if they have a copper IUD because for a lot of people that have the progesterone-only IUDs they get no periods,” Lincoln said. People can ask their doctor to cut their IUD string shorter to avoid that. People also wonder if when removing the cup people might be accidentally grabbing the strings to the IUD and pulling it out as well, though Katz said that can also rarely occur when people try taking out tampons. “But also it’s thought to happen because there’s suction in place while you’re wearing the cup, so is that slowly dislodging the IUD?” “We don’t know exactly why the IUDs are coming out because some people have said, ‘Well just release the suction before your remove that cup and that should negate the effect of the suction,’” Lincoln explained. And, there are some reports that people who use menstrual cups “has led to higher rates of IUDs coming out or expulsion,” Lincoln said. Cups can be expensive to purchase upfront, though over time they save money. “They usually have a little tab at the end to help with removal.”īut there are a few downsides. Adi Katz, an OB-GYN and director of gynecology at Lenox Hill Hospital, told TODAY. While many people experiencing period poverty or facing shortage of menstrual products might feel this is their only choice, doctors say it's not safe to reuse disposable period products. “But there are some alternatives.”ĭisposable tampons and pads should only be used once and not longer than instructions say. Jennifer Lincoln, an OB-GYN and author of “Let’s Talk about Down There: An OB-GYN Answers all Your Burning Questions … Without Making you Feel Embarrassed for Asking,” told TODAY. “I think also good old fashioned pads are a good alternative that people might be a little more likely to use and have used them before and they feel comfortable. While companies that make menstrual products haven’t acknowledged a shortage, Procter & Gamble told TODAY in a statement last week there’s “increased demand for our products.”Īs people wait for more tampons to appear on the shelves, they might turn other menstrual hygiene products to help them navigate their monthly cycle.
On social media, some have noticed a worrisome trend - they can’t find tampons in stores.
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