Bhubaneswar: The healthy and advanced form of period management intervention in the form of menstrual cups have been creating ripples on social media among the urban women in different parts of the country, however for Odisha it seems to be a non-starter.
Against the open discussion on the issue by the users who share its advantages on the internet, the women in Odisha are still far away from adapting to the usage of this technology. Thus, there is hardly any supply of the same in chemist shops in the city due to lack of demand combined with the taboo of asking for an unconventional medical intervention relating to menstruation.
Striking a debate on the issue, a user of the menstrual cup wrote on Instagram, “Most of the women dread that time of the month and the discomfort from pads are the biggest reasons. But things can get slightly better like it did for me by just making a small lifestyle change— switching to menstrual cups. It lasts long, it is re-usable and adds less waste to the planet with the advantage of zero irritation and uneasiness.”
However, gynaecologists working in the state claim that they hardly come across enquiries about the new product.
“Menstrual cups are safe for use and have the virtue of re-use. Women living in rural areas and where they do not easily get sanitary pads can use it for their personal hygiene. However, I have got very few enquiries from my patients on its usage,” said Dr Veena Panda, a gynaecologist from the city.
Talking about its potential advantage, Dr Panda said, “From a gynaecologist’s point of view, these cups are useful in helping to know the extent of menstrual bleeding, identifying heavy bleeding.
The collected blood could be used for medical research and diagnosis for treatment. However, it is completely a woman’s choice to use what suits her the best.”
Other doctors, however, claim that one important problem with the menstrual cups is its non-user friendly structure which makes it tough for first time users. Some doctors also recommended that it is best suited for married and sexually active women as this can be uncomfortable or not fit-for-use in teenagers.
Sometimes, its initial usage one needs the help and guidance of gynaecologists. However, many women have took the help of online video tutorials shared by doctors or users to use these cups.
On the other hand, the very few users of the same in towns like Bhubaneswar and Cuttack have shopped online to maintain their privacy.