A Study on Menstrual Product Choice and Acceptability of Menstrual Cup among Young Women in Kerala

One of the main physiological changes occurring in an adolescent girl’s life is marked as menstruation. As it is considered as a symbol of maturity among voung girls, it also holds a social significance. It is very important for women to be aware of healthy menstrual hygiene practices and its effects on health and environment. And most importantly, it is essential to understand the advantages of using a menstrual cup along with its cost-effectiveness. The following study analyses the factors influencing young women to choose the menstrual hygiene product during menstruation and also to understand the barriers that women face to use menstrual cups. In addition, this study also examines the environmental hazards caused by the disposal of menstrual hygiene products.The sample of the study was based on different parts of Kerala from 191 respondents. Further, to understand the efficiency of the menstrual cup, data was collected from 43 respondents who were using a menstrual cup which constituted young women who were employed and married. Snowball sampling method has been used to collect data through questionnaires.From the study it was found that awareness and acceptability of the menstrual cup can increase the number of menstrual cup users. Due to the lack of awareness,and increased fear and taboos most of the women tend to avoid hygienic menstrual practices. Besides, the usage of menstrual cups is cost-effective and is a zero waste product to the environment which is better than other non-biodegradable menstrual hygiene products.