Latest news with #menstrualhealth
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Why one mom is trying to delay her daughter's first period — as experts warn of the risks of early puberty
According to studies, girls who get their menstrual cycles at a young age are more susceptible to long-term health problems. As a result, one mom is trying to prevent her young daughter's body from maturing too soon. According to Stat News, over the past 55 years, young girls in the US have been getting their periods earlier and earlier. Nowadays, the average age is 11 years and nine months. As if that age was startling enough, 16% of girls are getting their cycle before they even celebrate their 11th birthday. The concerning part is that, according to the National Library of Medicine, females who start their period at this young age have a 23% higher risk of developing different cancers — like breast, endometrial and ovarian — later on in life. Aside from the increased risk of being diagnosed with serious illnesses down the road — another concern about early puberty is that young girls are forced to endure the emotional and physical toll periods can have before their brains and bodies are fully developed. '…modern teens have to deal with painful periods, the risk of getting pregnant and sometimes actually getting pregnant well before their brains and bodies are actually mature enough,' Elena Bridgers, a mom of two and a wellness and mental health writer, said in a recent Instagram reel. Because of this alarming news, moms like Rebecca Kinderman are trying to delay their daughter's first period by following a holistic lifestyle. 'I believe that if we can delay this part of 'growing up,' especially when their brains are not developed enough to be able to handle everything that they could be exposed to online, we are allowing our girls to stay young for longer,' Kinderman told Newsweek. The 36-year-old posted a viral Instagram reel where she explained her thought process in helping her daughter live a long, healthy life. Believing household toxins and poor diets are contributing factors to early periods, Kinderman stressed in her post that feeding your family whole foods without seed oils and artificial ingredients is major. And in the era of parents raising 'iPad kids,' the mom also stressed the importance of removing kids from their tech devices and encouraging them to get outside and play. And it seems that Kinderman might have a point — especially regarding diets and lifestyle choices. 'I think that that is very reflective of the obesity epidemic that we are seeing,' Aviva Sopher, a professor of pediatrics at Columbia University, Irving Medical Center, told Stat News. 'To me, this is concerning as well, this kind of confluence of obesity and earlier puberty and more irregular cycles,' she said.
CTV News
5 days ago
- General
- CTV News
In Your Community: Tampon Tuesday
London Watch CTV London's Lauren Stallone was live at Bath Fitter on Oxford Street East to talk about Tampon Tuesday.
New York Times
29-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
Curious About Menstrual Cups or Discs? Here's What to Know.
The biggest learning curve with a cup is probably how to actually get it in and out of your body without looking like a scene from Carrie . The first thing to know is that this is normal — pretty much nobody gets this right the first time; it takes practice and patience. Every single person I talked to who uses a menstrual cup told me that getting started involves a learning curve. Jackie Bolen, author of The Ultimate Guide to Menstrual Cups: An Eco-Friendly, Safe, Affordable Alternative to Tampons, said that her biggest frustration with menstrual cups is that 'people give up too soon.' 'Just keep trying and wear a pad while you're experimenting with it; after five or six months, if it's really not working, try a different cup,' she said. The learning curve includes figuring out the best way to insert and remove the cup or disc without spilling blood everywhere, determining whether the cup or disc is actually open inside you, and knowing when it's time to take the cup or disc out. Always wash your hands before you handle and insert your cup. How to fold a menstrual cup There are tons of ways to fold a menstrual cup. Over nine years of testing three dozen cups, I've found that the punch-down fold and the 7 fold are the easiest to use, as they make most cups smaller yet still provide a spot to grip to keep them from opening before they're in place. How to insert and remove a menstrual cup These are the hardest parts, and they're worth practicing first at home, if possible. Let's start with insertion. You fold the cup and insert it into your vagina. Then you release the cup, and it should 'pop' open inside you. It's totally fine to use personal lubricant to insert a cup or disc, as long as you use a lubricant that plays nicely with your cup's material. Avoid using silicone-based lubricants with silicone cups or discs. Figuring out if your cup or disc is fully open can be tough; some cups you can feel open, but depending on your musculature and how forceful that opening is, sometimes you can't tell. Once you've inserted the cup, you can reposition it by inserting a finger and moving the cup around a bit. Another good trick for making sure that the cup is open and positioned right is to grab the bottom and twist the cup gently. Some people like to squat or jump up and down a bit after they insert a cup, just to make sure that it is secure and won't move around. Several companies now sell menstrual cup applicators. We don't think they're worthwhile. In theory, applicators might be useful accessibility aids for people who struggle with the hand mobility and dexterity needed to insert or remove a cup. But the applicators we've tested so far have been really hard to use, requiring a lot of hand strength and dexterity. (I can deadlift 285 pounds, and I could barely get one of the test cups through an Ecoblossom applicator.) For removal, experts recommend squatting over the toilet, especially for the first few times, just in case. It's important to relax before you try to get the cup out; if you're tense, your vaginal muscles will squeeze the cup, making it harder to get out. There are several techniques for removing a cup. Generally speaking, it's not a great idea to just grab the stem and yank. Instead, you'll want to pinch the bottom of the cup to 'break the seal,' and then slowly remove it. How to insert and remove a menstrual disc As with a cup, learning how to insert, position, and remove a menstrual disc takes time. To insert a disc, you squeeze the rim so that the disc becomes a long, thin shape (akin to a tampon), and you insert it up into the vagina and push it all the way back so that the farthest part of the disc is tucked up behind your cervix. Then you press the side of the disc closest to you up and tuck it behind your pubic bone. Tension, rather than suction, keeps a disc in place. Removing a disc also differs from removing a cup: Rather than pinching the bottom of the disc and pulling out, you insert a finger into your vaginal canal and hook it under the rim of the disc (or, in the case of a disc with a pull tab or strap, use that). Then you carefully pull the disc out, making sure to keep it at an angle so that it doesn't dump your menstrual fluid out onto you, the floor, or whatever else. (There's a reason that the menstrual cup reviewers of Put A Cup In It called one menstrual disc a 'blood drawer.') Experts often recommend removing the disc in the shower, at least the first couple of times, to get the hang of it. How to know if a menstrual cup fits (and how it should feel) Once a cup is properly positioned, it should feel the same way a tampon does inside you. If you think about it, you can feel it there. But it shouldn't be uncomfortable or constantly at the forefront of your mind. It shouldn't press on your bladder, and you shouldn't be able to feel the stem at all; if you can, and it's irritating you, try cutting the stem shorter. Before assuming that a cup's size is wrong, try removing and inserting the cup a couple of times over a couple of cycles. It's hard to isolate the variables — a cup might be the right size but sitting awkwardly because it's not in deep enough, or it's at a weird angle. If the cup migrates up your vagina, and you're having to dig to fish it out, you probably need a longer cup. If you have trimmed the stem and are sure the cup is in as far as it can go, but the cup is still poking out of your vagina or rubbing uncomfortably, you likely need a shorter cup. If the cup makes you feel like you need to pee all the time or is causing pain in your urethra, you might need a smaller (or a softer) cup. How to know when a menstrual cup or disc is full This part takes a bit of learning. You can start by removing and emptying a cup in as much time as you would normally fill two tampons and then build up the time between cup changes from there — manufacturers' instructions can vary, but experts say you shouldn't leave any cup or disc in for more than 12 hours. Some people like to wear a panty liner or period underwear while they're learning their cup schedule, just in case.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Canadian Innovation Revolutionizes Menstrual Health Worldwide with the Bfree Cup - The World's First Boil-Free, Antibacterial Menstrual Cup
WINNIPEG, MB, May 26, 2025 /CNW/ - What if a simple, safe innovation could break taboos, restore dignity, and end period poverty? Enter the Bfree Cup, the world's only antibacterial, boil-free menstrual cup, developed by Canadian social enterprise Women's Global Health Innovations (WGHI). This small but mighty innovation is making a big impact on global health, gender equity, and dignity. Proudly made in Canada, the Bfree Cup eliminates the need to boil water to sterilize menstrual products - a barrier in many water-scarce regions. Built-in antimicrobial technology makes it a safe, reusable, and affordable solution for menstruators worldwide. It's not just changing periods, it's changing lives. More than a product, the Bfree Cup is a symbol of Canadian ingenuity and collaboration. It's helping girls stay in school, reducing stigma, and improving menstrual literacy. WGHI partners with grassroots organizations and NGOs across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia to distribute cups and education, proving that small Canadian enterprises can be powerful players in global health. Supported by the Fund for Innovation and Transformation (FIT) in partnership with Global Affairs Canada, WGHI introduced the Bfree Cup with partners in multiple countries. FIT's funding and technical support helped transform a bold Canadian idea into a scalable global solution. "This is exactly what Canadian international assistance can accomplish, and an excellent example of the kinds of transformative, locally-rooted solutions the world needs," says Janice Hamilton, Executive Director. "WGHI's Bfree Cup not only addresses a fundamental health gap, it builds connections between Canadian innovators and communities around the world." Created by Leisa Hirtz, WGHI's Founder and CEO, the Bfree Cup was shaped by years of research and community input. "Access to safe menstrual care is a human right," says Hirtz. "The Bfree Cup removes barriers of affordability, stigma, and sanitation. It's a game-changer - especially where silence and shame still prevail." "The school incinerator is in an open space where boys stand and laugh at girls who always come to dispose of their used pads," says a 19-year-old Bfree Cup user and testing participant in rural Uganda. "But now with the Bfree Cup, the boys never know when I am on my period, and this has made me more comfortable in school and also boosted my confidence in school." With bold vision and deep collaboration, the Bfree Cup is showing what happens when Canadian innovation meets global need. It reminds us that it doesn't take a giant to make change - it takes a village. And this village is just getting started. Watch "Canadian Innovation Revolutionizes Menstrual Health" PSA Here #CIW25 #periodfriendlyworld About FIT A 7-year, $20.5 M initiative of the Inter-Council Network of Provincial and Regional Councils for International Cooperation, the Fund for Innovation and Transformation is funded by Global Affairs Canada and administered by the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation. FIT is designed to support Canadian small and medium-sized organizations testing innovative solutions that advance gender equality in the Global South. The program supports civil society organizations, social enterprises, post-secondary institutions and the private sector. About ICN The Inter-Council Network of Provincial and Regional Councils for International Cooperation is a coalition of the eight Provincial and Regional Councils for International Cooperation. These independent member-based Councils are committed to global social justice and social change and represent more than 350 diverse civil society organizations from across Canada. About MCIC A coalition of Manitoba-based organizations involved in international development, the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation (MCIC)'s mission is to support, connect and amplify the work of its members and partners, while directly engaging and collaborating with Manitobans for global sustainability. MCIC encourages dialogue on global issues and helps empower Manitobans to become active global citizens - individuals who understand that their actions here make a difference around the world. MCIC is also responsible for distributing Government of Manitoba and Government of Canada funds designated for international development and humanitarian projects. About Global Affairs Canada Global Affairs Canada manages Canada's diplomatic relations, provides consular services to Canadians, promotes the country's international trade, and leads Canada's international development and humanitarian assistance. FIT is a program undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada provided through Global Affairs Canada. Social Media Links: Facebook: Twitter: Linkedin: Instagram: SOURCE Fund for Innovation and Transformation (FIT) View original content to download multimedia:
South China Morning Post
26-05-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
China university criticised for requiring student to lower pants for menstrual pain leave
A university in China has sparked public outrage after a student who requested sick leave due to menstrual discomfort was asked to pull down her pants to 'prove her condition.' Advertisement On May 15, a student at the Gengdan Institute of Beijing University of Technology, located in the capital, posted a video online claiming that she was asked to undress at the campus clinic to verify that she had her period when she applied for sick leave. The Gengdan Institute is an independent and private undergraduate college affiliated with Beijing University of Technology, one of China's top public universities. In the viral video, the student, whose name was not disclosed, asks: 'So what you are saying is, every woman on her period has to take off her pants and show you to get a leave note?' The student in question was asked to undress by a member of staff at the university's campus clinic. Photo: Shutterstock A female member of staff responds: 'Basically, yes. It is not my personal rule, it is a regulation.'
