Use of menstrual cups among school girls: longitudinal observations nested in a randomised controlled feasibility study in rural western Kenya

Abstract

Background A menstrual cup can be a good solution for menstrual hygiene management in economically challenged settings. As part of a pilot study we assessed uptake and maintenance of cup use among young school girls in Kenya. Methods A total of 192 girls between 14 to 16 years were enrolled in 10 schools in Nyanza Province, Western Kenya; these schools were assigned menstrual cups as part of the cluster-randomized pilot study. Girls were provided with menstrual cups in addition to training and guidance on use, puberty education, and instructions for menstrual hygiene. During repeated individual visits with nurses, girls reported use of the menstrual cup and nurses recorded colour change of the cup. Results Girls were able to keep their cups in good condition, with only 12 cups (6.3%) lost (dropped in toilet …