Standards for Disposable Sanitary Pads (Menstrual Health Standards Webinar Series)

A critical component is the use of effective and safe materials for absorbing or collecting menstrual blood. Traditional practices in LMICs have seen the use of materials like cloth, hay, ash etc. as absorbents. More recently, this need has been served by consumer products - disposable sanitary pads and tampons. Over the last few years, these products have evolved to offer increased absorbency and comfort to users through use of wood pulp, non-woven fibres, super absorbent polymers, additives etc. Innovations like the menstrual cup (made of medical grade silicone) and the reusable cloth pad (made of natural and synthetic fabrics), have also made their way to the mainstream. These offer increased choice to women in managing their menstruation. However, true informed choice requires that they meet certain benchmarks of safety and performance. To this end, various manufacturers, CSOs and advocacy groups have been working on national and global standards for menstrual products.