One in two women in Spain has already changed to the menstrual cup (48.4% use it at some point in the cycle) and the use of reusable menstrual products is increasing, especially among the younger age group and university students .
This is one of the findings of the menstrual equity study of Jordi Gol i Gurina Primary Care Research Institute (IDIAPJGol), on Menstrual Equity and Health in Spain, funded by the European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health.
Regarding the hygienic method used, 69.7% of the respondents used traditional single-use menstrual products, while 54.9% used reusable menstrual products.
Among the most common menstrual products were single-use pads (60.6%), sanitary napkins (49.7%), menstrual cups (48.4%), and tampons (42.6%).
By age, a difference was observed in the quality of menstrual products and women (or menstruating people with another identification) between 26-35 years old reported the majority of use of reusable products (64.1%), while People between 45-55 years old are preferred. to use products that cannot be used again (82.9%).
Therefore, women between the ages of 46 and 55 years used most often single pads (75.5%), panty pads (60.1%) and tampons (53.6%).
At the same time, they chose to use the menstrual cup (56.8%), reusable pads (19.1%), menstrual underwear (11.3%) and free bleeding (4.9%) mainly among participants between 26 and 35 years old old
The use of the menstrual cup was also more popular among those born in Spain (55.2%) than among those of other origins.
On the other hand, a higher probability of using reusable products was identified among those with a university education (58.5%).
Other findings in the report led by researcher Laura Medina Perucha refer to menstrual poverty, deficiency in menstrual education and lack of adequate care by health workers.
Thus, they point out that menstrual inequality affects women with more socioeconomic difficulties, vulnerable immigrant groups, and non-binary and trans menstruating people.
Similarly, menstrual education tends to be “inadequate”, comes late, is given informally and focuses only on biological aspects, says the report.
The study had two parts: a first online between March and July 2021 with responses from 22,823 women aged between 18 and 55 throughout the Spanish territory and a second, smaller, with individual face-to-face interviews between 2020 and 2022.
