Exploring the Diverse Menstrual Product Options and Raising Awareness about the Menstrual Cup: An Observational Study

Background: Health is a vital aspect of the life of human beings and also an important indicator of the socioeconomic well-being of a country.Sanitary pads and napkins are the most common practices, but they require hygienic practices; otherwise they pose complications.Hence, the menstrual cup is a safer and more environmental friendly alternative to deal with menstruation among women.This study explores menstrual hygiene practices, particularly the use of menstrual cups, among women of reproductive age attending a tertiary referral hospital in Bengaluru.Objectives: To understand the preferred menstrual hygiene products among individuals of reproductive age-group and to evaluate their knowledge and understanding of menstrual cup usage.Results: Despite the availability of multiple menstrual product options, sanitary napkins were the most commonly used (45.28%).Awareness of menstrual cups was relatively high, with 91.5% of participants aware of their existence.However, only 1.57% used menstrual cups exclusively and 9.8% used them occasionally in combination with other products.Social media played a crucial role in raising awareness, as 61% of participants learned about menstrual cups online, while others received information from peers or healthcare professionals.Participants demonstrated substantial awareness of the advantages of menstrual cups, such as their reusability (86.88%) and proper cleaning methods (75.7%).Despite this, barriers to adoption were evident.Physical discomforts, such as itching (20.22%) and abdominal pain (15.27%), were common concerns.Moreover, 36.99% of participants found menstrual cups cumbersome to use.These factors may explain the low adoption rate despite general interest, as 52% expressed willingness to try menstrual cups.Conclusion: Societal attitudes toward menstruation and a lack of proper education about menstrual cup usage contributed to the slow uptake.The study highlights the need for public health campaigns to address both physical discomfort and cultural barriers to menstrual cup use.By promoting open conversations about menstrual health and providing demonstrations on proper usage, menstrual cups could become a more widely accepted, sustainable alternative to traditional menstrual products.