Knowledge and Attitude regarding menstrual cups among young women

Authors

  • Tannu Thapa Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Nursing, Ramaiah Institute of Nursing Education and Research, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
  • Susha Mary Roy Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Nursing, Ramaiah Institute of Nursing Education and Research, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20230784

Keywords:

Menstrual cups, Knowledge, Attitude, Awareness, Menstrual Hygiene

Abstract

Background: Menstruation is cyclic vaginal bleeding that occurs physiologically as a result of the shedding of the endometrium. The maintenance of adequate perineal hygiene during menstruation is very important. One product which is gaining quite a popularity over few years is a flexible, reusable cup that is inserted inside the vagina to collect blood during menstruation known as a menstrual cup. The benefits of a menstrual cup are numerous which include comfort, hygiene, cost-effectiveness and eco-friendliness. The acceptance of menstrual cups among women in India is varied due to personal and sociocultural factors. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitude regarding menstrual cups among young women.

Methods: A descriptive study design was adopted for the study. 200 young women were selected using non-probability convenient sampling technique. The study tool was administered to assess the knowledge and attitude regarding menstrual cups.

Results: Among 200 young women, 49% of young women had adequate knowledge, 43.5% had moderately adequate knowledge and 7.5% had inadequate knowledge regarding menstrual cups. 64.5% of young women had neutral attitude, 31% had positive attitude and 4.5% had negative attitude regarding menstrual cups.

Conclusions: Though young women are aware of menstrual cups but majority of them are skeptical towards its use. The findings suggests that mass in-depth awareness programmes for nurses and other health professionals should be organised and support groups need to be created to provide adequate information and counselling to the public regarding the use of menstrual cups.

 

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Menstrual hygiene management - Wikipedia. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menstrual_hygiene_management. Accessed 7 June 2021. Wikipedia. Menstrual hygiene management, 2021. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menstrual_hygiene_management. Accessed on 07 June 2021.

International Institute for Population Sciences. National Family Health Survey - 5 2019-21. Minist Heal Fam Welf Natl. 2020;361:2.

Swacch India. Menstrual Hygiene Day: About 50% Of Women Aged 15-24 Use Cloth During Periods, Reveals National Family Health Survey | News, 2023. Available at: https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/ yeaclot68515/. Accessed on 13 January 2023.

Gao CJ, Kannan K. Phthalates, bisphenols, parabens, and triclocarban in feminine hygiene products from the United States and their implications for human exposure. Environ Int. 2020;136:105465.

Balamurugan SS, Bendigeri N. Community-based study of reproductive tract infections among women of the reproductive age group in the urban health training centre area in hubli, karnataka. Indian J Community Med. 2012;37(1):34-8.

Torondel B, Sinha S, Mohanty JR, Swain T, Sahoo P, Panda B, et al. Association between unhygienic menstrual management practices and prevalence of lower reproductive tract infections: a hospital-based cross-sectional study in Odisha, India. BMC Infect Dis. 2018;18(1):473.

Muralidharan A. Management of Menstrual Waste. waterAid Inida, Menstrual Heal Alliance Inida, 2018. Available at: https://menstrualhygieneday.org/wpconte. Accessed on 24 June 2021.

My Nation. Kerala: Project Thinkal to distribute 5,000 menstrual cups for free, 2022 Available at: https://www.mynation.com/indianews/keralafreptc4j. Accessed on 18 August 2022.

Green the red. The Cup and Cloth Campaign, 2022. Available at: https://www.greenthered.in/sin. Accessed on 18 August 2022.

Pradhan Mantri Yojana. Maitri Menstrual Cup Scheme Karnataka, 2022. Available at: https://www.pradhanmantriyojana.co.in/maitrmenstrual-cup-scheme-karnataka/. Accessed on 18 August 2022.

Ballal SK, Bhandary A.Menstrual cup: awareness among reproductive women. Int J Reprod Contracept Obstet Gynecol 2020;9:1382-7.

Meghana S, Gomathy E. Knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding menstrual cup among reproductive women in a rural tertiary care Hospital. Int J Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2021;5(2):211-4.

Tembo M, Renju J, Weiss HA, Dauya E, Bandason T, Dziva-Chikwari C, et al. Menstrual product choice and uptake among young women in Zimbabwe: a pilot study. Pilot Feasibility Stud. 2020;6(1):182.

Eti M, Shreya MS, Sailakshmi MPA.Knowledge about menstrual cup and its usage among medical students.Int J Reprod Contracept Obstet Gynecol. 2019;8:4966-70.

Kakani CR, Bhatt JK. Study of adaptability and efficacy of menstrual cup in managing menstrual health and hygiene. Int J Reprod Contraception, Obstet Gynecol. 2017;6(7):3045.

Eijk AM, Zulaika G, Lenchner M, Mason L, Sivakami M, Nyothach E, et al. Menstrual cup use, leakage, acceptability, safety, and availability: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Public Health. 2019;4(8):e376-93.

Pampanavar S. Menstrual Cups as A Menstrual Management Method : A Pilot Study. Indian J Obstet Gynecol. 2019;7(4):513-6.

Lavanya D, Gc K, Chandrasekharan PA, Pratibha Sravanthi T. Advisability of Menstrual Cup for the Management of Menstruation-Survey among South Indian Gynecologists. IOSR J Dent Med Sci. 2019;18(4):1-3.

George AM, Leena KC. Experiences of the Women Using Menstrual Cup on Free Will – A Qualitative Inquiry. Online J Heal Allied Sci. 2020;19(3):1-4.

Rodrigues JC, Cardoso, S. J. B. . (2021). An alternative in menses management: a cross-sectional study about medical students knowledge of the menstrual cup. Millenium J Edu Technol Health. 2021; 2(17):61-71.

International Institute for Population Sciences. National Family Health Survey - 5 2019-21. Minist Heal Fam Welf Natl. 2020;361:2.

Menstrual Hygiene Day: About 50% Of Women Aged 15-24 Use Cloth During Periods, Reveals National Family Health Survey | News. Available from: https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/in-india-about-50-of-the-women-aged-15-24-years-use-cloth-during-periods-national-family-health-survey-68515/. Accessed 13 January 2023.

Gao CJ, Kannan K. Phthalates, bisphenols, parabens, and triclocarban in feminine hygiene products from the United States and their implications for human exposure. Environ Int 2020;136(December 2019):105465.

Balamurugan SS, Bendigeri ND. Community-based study of reproductive tract infections among women of the reproductive age group in the urban health training centre area in Hubli, Karnataka. Indian J Community Med. 2012;37(1):34–8.

Torondel B, Sinha S, Mohanty JR, Swain T, Sahoo P, Panda B et al. Association between unhygienic menstrual management practices and prevalence of lower reproductive tract infec. BMC Infect Dis 2018;18(1):473.

Muralidharan A. Management of Menstrual Waste. waterAid Inida, Menstrual Heal Alliance Inida. 2018; Available at https://menstrualhygieneday.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/WaterAid_Arundati-Muralidharan.pdf. Accessed 24 June 2021.

Kerala: Project Thinkal to distribute 5,000 menstrual cups for free. Available from: https://www.mynation.com/india-news/kerala-project-thinkal-distribute-5-000-menstrual-cups-for-free-ptc4jl. Accessed 18 August 2022

The Cup and Cloth Campaign. Available from: https://www.greenthered.in/single-post/2018/01/22/the-cup-and-cloth-campaign. Accessed 18 August 2022.

Maitri Menstrual Cup Scheme Karnataka 2022 - PRADHAN MANTRI YOJANA. Available from: https://www.pradhanmantriyojana.co.in/maitri-menstrual-cup-scheme-karnataka/. Accessed 18 August 2022.

K. SB, Bhandary A. Menstrual cup: awareness among reproductive women. Int J Reprod Contraception, Obstet Gynecol. 2020;9(4):1382.

S M, E G. Knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding menstrual cup among reproductive women in a rural tertiary care Hospital. Int J Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2021;5(2):211–4.

Tembo M, Renju J, Weiss HA, Dauya E, Bandason T, Dziva-chikwari C, et al. Menstrual product choice and uptake among young women in Zimbabwe : a pilot study. 2020;1–12.

Eti M, S. SM, A. SMP. Knowledge about menstrual cup and its usage among medical students. Int J Reprod Contraception, Obstet Gynecol. 2019;8(12):4966.

Kakani CR, Bhatt JK. Study of adaptability and efficacy of menstrual cup in managing menstrual health and hygiene. Int J Reprod Contraception, Obstet Gynecol. 2017;6(7):3045.

van Eijk AM, Zulaika G, Lenchner M, Mason L, Sivakami M, Nyothach E, et al. Menstrual cup use, leakage, acceptability, safety, and availability: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Public Heal. 2019;4(8):e376–93.

Pampanavar S. Menstrual Cups as A Menstrual Management Method : A Pilot Study. Indian J Obstet Gynecol. 2019;7(4):513–6.

Lavanya D, Gc K, Chandrasekharan PA, Pratibha Sravanthi T. Advisability of Menstrual Cup for the Management of Menstruation-Survey among South Indian Gynecologists. IOSR J Dent Med Sci e-ISSN [Internet]. 2019;18(4):1–03.

George AM, Leena KC. Experiences of the Women Using Menstrual Cup on Free Will – A Qualitative Inquiry. Online J Heal Allied Sci. 2020;19(3):1–4.

Rodrigues JC. millenium AN ALTERNATIVE IN MENSES MANAGEMENT : A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ABOUT MEDICAL STUDENTS KNOWLEDGE OF THE MENSTRUAL CUP. 2(17):61–71.

Downloads

Published

2023-03-28

How to Cite

Thapa, T., & Mary Roy, S. (2023). Knowledge and Attitude regarding menstrual cups among young women. International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 12(4), 898–904. https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20230784

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles