Study assesses capacity of modern menstrual products to better diagnose heavy menstrual bleeding BMJ_SRH OHSUNews menstrualproducts health sexualhealth
By Neha MathurAug 10 2023Reviewed by Sophia Coveney In a recent article published in the BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, researchers used expired human-packed red blood cells to test the maximal capacity of a variety of commercially available menstrual products, such as tampons, sanitary pads, menstrual discs, cups, and period underwear.
The Pictorial Blood Loss Assessment Chart , the current clinical tool used to assess menstrual blood loss, is based on the saturation of tampons and pads. Only tampons undergo industry-regulated standardized testing for absorption capacity. Manufacturers of other products only document the absorption capacity of their product using a liquid, i.e., not equivalent to menstrual blood.
The team tested several commercially available menstrual products ex vivo for their capacity to absorb human RBCs; however, the process for applying blood varied for different menstrual hygiene products. For the pads/underwear, they slowly poured RBCs over the central upper one-third until it no longer absorbed the blood or pooled off the item.
The team tested multiple menstrual cups, discs, and tampons from the same brand. The former varied in sizes and the latter in absorbencies, regular to super plus. Similarly, the discs were in two sizes, small and large. Blood loss >80 mL indicates HMB or other underlying conditions; a menstruating person must fill a menstrual cup fully three to four times per cycle to demonstrate this much blood loss. Similarly, they would have to use one menstrual disc/two cups every hour, i.e., the equivalent of using two sanitary pads in an hour, to absorb ~60 mL of menstrual blood.
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