The PASS Project
In 2019, Femme International collaborated with LUCSUS and the National Instititute for Medical Research to conduct the first ever menstrual cup study on adults. Not only that, but by collaborating with our long-time partner NGO Give a Heart to Africa, we were able to recruit women who had been using the cup for years, making it also the longest follow-up study on cup users.
We wanted to understand how menstrual cups affect adult women’s finances, health, and ability to fully participate at work and daily activities. And because we wanted to see if using menstrual cups had an effect on reproductive tract infections, we did vaginal swabs. To make the whole thing less stressful and maybe even fun, we originated the idea of a Swab Party. In case you’re wondering, this is exactly what it sounds like: a party! We had food, music, and manicures, all with different data collection stations so participants could rotate through at their leisure. All in all, a really fun afternoon.
Our original plan was then interrupted by COVID-19, a familiar story, so we had to be creative, and the study changed somewhat. Good news is though, in 2020 we were able to finish data collection, and with support from LUCSUS’ co-investigator Dr. Sara Gabrielsson, have finally managed to look at the data.
What we found will probably be unsurprising to cup users, but it’s always good to have the data to back up our observations, right?
So, here’s what we found: women who used menstrual cups had fewer infections. They were at work more. They had greater movement, as they felt safe and free. They felt more confident during their period. They had less menstrual pain and anxiety. They had higher quality of life. They saved money. And what did they do with the money they saved? What women everywhere do: they re-invested it in their families. They paid school fees and healthcare. They invested in family farms and businesses. They invested in or started their own businesses. Altogether, this means they invested in their community’s development and economy.
Menstrual cups are transformative for individuals, families, and communities. They are life-changing.
For us here at Femme, we couldn’t be prouder of our entire team, and our partners who help and support us to do the incredible work we do.
And a massive thanks to Lunette Cup for funding this research, we could not have done it without them. Check them out, they’re an awesome menstrual cup social business.”
