In many low-income and conflict-affected communities, managing menstruation safely and with dignity remains a daily challenge for women and girls.
A recent study in npj women’s health conducted in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, explored whether reusable menstrual underwear could help address this problem. The research focused on women living in rural areas where access to sanitary products, clean water, and private sanitation facilities is limited.
Menstrual health is often overlooked in humanitarian responses, yet it has a direct impact on women’s health, dignity, and daily life.
As the study explains, “Menstrual hygiene management remains a critical yet often neglected issue in humanitarian settings.”
In many such environments, women rely on improvised materials like cloth to manage their periods. These methods can be uncomfortable, less effective at absorbing menstrual flow, and difficult to keep clean.
To explore alternatives, researchers distributed reusable menstrual underwear to women in the community. Participants received four pairs of the underwear along with a basic hygiene kit and instructions on how to use and wash them. After several months of use, the researchers gathered feedback through surveys and group discussions to understand the women’s experiences.
The results were largely positive. Most women reported that the menstrual underwear improved their comfort and made it easier to manage their periods.
According to the study, “menstrual underwear was highly accepted, with 94.3% reporting satisfaction and 98.4% preferring it to their usual menstrual hygiene management method.”
Many participants said the underwear felt more hygienic and less irritating than the cloth materials they typically used. The design also allowed them to move around more confidently during their daily activities without worrying as much about leaks.
However, the study also revealed practical challenges. Some women said the underwear needed to be changed frequently, especially during heavy flow days. One participant explained, “I changed them four times a day because the underwear absorbed for less than three hours.” Because the underwear must be washed and dried after use, the limited number of pairs provided was not always enough to last through an entire menstrual cycle.
Access to water and private spaces for washing and drying the underwear also created difficulties for some participants. In communities where menstruation is stigmatized, women sometimes felt uncomfortable drying the garments outside where others might see them. Additionally, some women reported problems with sizing or durability after repeated washing.
Despite these challenges, almost all participants said they would continue using menstrual underwear if it were available. Many even recommended expanding distribution to other women in their communities, particularly adolescent girls who often face greater difficulties managing their periods.
The study suggests that reusable menstrual underwear could be a practical and acceptable solution for improving menstrual hygiene in resource-limited settings. With improvements in absorbency, durability, and distribution, such products could become an important part of humanitarian aid programs aimed at supporting women’s health and dignity.
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Image credit: CHATGPT