“The Disc Will Always Win!”: Qualitative Pilot Study Findings on the Acceptability of Reusable Menstrual Products Among College Students on a U.S. Campus

Abstract

Purpose

Interest in reusable menstrual products has expanded substantially over the last decade. However, there is limited published research on user experiences with these products in terms of their effectiveness in menstrual management. We assessed the acceptability of, and user experiences with, the menstrual disc—one of the newest types of reusable products—in terms of ease/difficulty of use (i.e., insertion, removal), leakages and overall comfort.

Design/Approach

We conducted a qualitative pilot study and provided students with menstrual discs to use over two menstrual cycles.

Setting

The study was conducted on a mid-sized college campus in Massachusetts, U.S.

Participants

We recruited fourteen students who menstruate.

Method

Students completed two diary entries—one per menstrual cycle—about their experiences using the menstrual disc.

Results

The menstrual disc was well received overall, and most students liked the long wear time, fewer changes required and the ability of the disc to self-empty. Although many students struggled with insertion initially, this improved with subsequent uses. Students noted that removal was easy but messy, which made changing in public bathrooms difficult. A few experienced major leakages when the disc became overfull. Almost all expressed willingness to use the disc as their main menstrual product.

Conclusion

The menstrual disc potentially expands the range of more comfortable and convenient reusable menstrual products and should be included in reproductive health education.