Thursday, October 13, 2016

What You Need To Know About Menstrual Cup

By Deborah Cole


Menstruation cups essentially are a type of sanitary products meant for women and made using flexible medical-grade materials. This is worn in the vagina during menstruation to contain the menstrual fluid. Additionally, they are removed after four to twelve hours, emptied and washed before being used again reliant on the amount of flow. Ultimately, a menstrual cup offers convenience as well as being ideal for women in menstruation.

The cups are usually bell shaped and can either be made of latex, silicone, or thermoplastic elastomer. Again, they can be used and re-used for around 5-10 years although others may suggest replacement after every year. However, single-use disposable cups are also available.

A number of factors have to be considered in selecting the cups. These fundamentally include size, length, capacity, color, selection among others. Two basic sizes exist including the large recommended to females aged 30 years and above and have birthed vaginally as well as smaller sizes for females below 30 years and have not birthed vaginally. Again, on length, females with low positioned cervix will need a shorter cup.

On the other hand, a higher capacity is ideal for women who experience heavier menstrual flow. However, the available cups have a higher capacity when compared to the traditional pads and tampons. At the same time, selection can also be based on how firm or flexible the cup is. Firmer cups easily opens up once inserted and have a more consistent grip to the wall of the vagina although most women claim that the flexible ones are more comfortable.

On the contrary, the colors can be translucent or colorless as well as other variety of colors. When stains appear on the cups, the remedy is to make them less light or completely removed by soaking diluted hydrogen peroxide or airing it out on the sun. In using the cup, it is pinched or folded and inserted into the vagina.

They automatically open out and clutch to the vaginal walls. Users in some cases may need to flex the muscles around the vaginal or adjust the cup to open it fully. An appropriate insertion should not result in any leakage or discomfort. Again, different methods of folding are used to insert them. If necessary, lubricants that are water-based may be used to lubricate because other lubricants can destroy the material.

When removing a cup, reach to the stem and find its base. It is not appropriate to pull by the stem since it creates some suction. Again, pinching the base will result in releasing the seal before it is removed. For the re-usable cups, they should be rinsed or wiped before being re-used. Sterilization and mild soap cleaning in steaming water are necessary when the cycle is over. However, cleaning instruction may differ and the disposable cups should be discarded after being used once.

These cups have a number of benefits. First, they are green and cost effective. Studies indicate that they last close to 10 years unlike regular pads, which one has to buy every month then disposed of when used. Again, they can contain about six times more of the fluid, unlike normal tampons. This makes them preferred by women receiving heavy flows.




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