Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/Xk6ebT6Hchw   Women looking for a cheaper alternative to tampons need look no further than the Menstrual Cup.  Now this is not a new invention and it’s been around since the 1930’s, but a new meta-analysis just published in The Lancet reviewed the experiences of some 3300 women using the cup to determine its utility and safety.   The majority of menstrual cups are placed in the vagina to trap and hold menstrual flow.  There is an alternative menstrual disc that fits over the cervix, but it may be more difficult to insert and remove.  Even inserting the vaginal cup takes a little practice, but after 2 cycles it seemed easy to most users.    The study showed that nearly three-quarters of women trying the cups planned to continue their use.  The incidence of leakage and infection was no different than for other menstrual products.  The cup did not damage linings, but there were a few cases of allergy to the cup materials.   Multi-use menstrual cups are convenient and cheap.  If you aren