Hindi Tamil Telugu
    More
    In the news
    Narendra Modi
    Amit Shah
    Box Office Collection
    Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
    OTT releases
    Hindi Tamil Telugu
    User Placeholder

    Hi,

    Logout

    India
    Business
    World
    Politics
    Sports
    Technology
    Entertainment
    Auto
    Lifestyle
    Inspirational
    Career
    Bengaluru
    Delhi
    Mumbai

    Download Android App

    Follow us on
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linkedin
    Home / News / India News / Sanitary Napkins - How safe are menstrual hygiene products?
    Next Article
    Sanitary Napkins - How safe are menstrual hygiene products?

    Sanitary Napkins - How safe are menstrual hygiene products?

    By Ramya Patelkhana
    May 19, 2017
    07:55 pm

    What's the story

    Who has ever questioned the safety of menstrual hygiene products in India, where menstruation is still a hush-hush topic?

    Sanitary napkin manufacturers aren't even required by law to disclose what goes into making them.

    Also, no studies exist to prove the sold napkins are safe.

    Still, 12% of Indian women use them; don't they deserve to know "what goes onto and into their bodies"?

    Sanitary Pads

    Chemicals used raise questions over safety

    Bhawana Chanana, Associate Professor of Fabric & Apparel Science at Delhi University's Lady Irwin College, said hygiene parameters of sanitary napkins should be disclosed on packages.

    She added women don't ask questions while buying such products which works to the advantage of sellers/manufacturers.

    She also came across instances where products rejected in the US and Germany have been recycled and sold in India.

    You're
    12%
    through

    Safety Certification

    Consumers assume products are safe based on official certification

    Do you know that official agencies test sanitary napkins as per standards that weren't updated since 1980?

    The Bureau of Indian Standards 1980 specifies tests that are too basic; there's no requirement to test the ingredients' toxicity.

    Wager Hygiene CEO K Jinoj said on the basis of such standards all napkins will pass the tests; parameters to check the safety need to be included.

    You're
    25%
    through

    Information

    The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

    FDA recommends biocompatibility tests appropriate for the level/duration of contact of users with sanitary napkins. It is aware of the associated risks like vaginal injury, adverse tissue reaction, and toxic shock syndrome and recommends that manufacturers conduct pre-clinical toxicology and microbiology tests.

    You're
    37%
    through

    Process

    Process of making sanitary napkins

    The purpose of sanitary napkins is to absorb and retain menstrual fluid discharge along with providing comfort to women.

    But the process of making the pads in India has not changed in decades.

    Nanotechnologist Chandra Shekhar Sharma of the Indian Institute of Technology-Hyderabad's Chemical Engineering Department said no one denies the health hazards of using the commercially sold napkins.

    You're
    50%
    through

    Inferior Quality

    All leading brands are global players

    Hygiene should be the primary consideration while choosing pads; unfortunately, Indian women consider the cost, design, and packaging.

    All leading brands in India's sanitary market are global players.

    They sell similar products worldwide, but the quality of ingredients/chemicals in India is believed to be inferior.

    In a 2003 test, Ahmedabad-based Consumer Education and Research Centre found dirt and even ants in some napkin samples.

    You're
    62%
    through

    Chemical Concerns

    Dioxins, SAPs - The most contested constituents of sanitary napkins

    According to a 2016 paper by IIT-H's Sharma, dioxins used for bleaching the cotton/material potentially cause pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cancer, immune system damage, impaired fertility, and diabetes.

    A 1993 study conducted on monkeys found that 79% had developed endometriosis after exposure to dioxin in food.

    The US restricted using superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) in tampons due to a possible link to toxic shock syndrome.

    You're
    75%
    through

    Direct Route

    Direct contact with the vaginal region

    The vulvar and vaginal tissues are more permeable and different from the rest of the body.

    The mucous membranes, blood and lymphatic vessels on the vaginal walls allow direct absorption of chemicals into the circulatory system.

    Studies show the rapid absorption exposes women to higher-levels of chemicals from menstrual hygiene products as the area of contact has a direct route to the reproductive organs.

    You're
    87%
    through

    Access

    Questions not raised over the quality

    Only 10-12% of women use menstrual napkins, so enough questions aren't raised over their quality.

    Making sanitary napkins more accessible, even in the rural areas, may pressurize companies to come up with better quality products.

    Padma Shri recipient Arunachalam Murugunantham, the inventor of the low-cost sanitary napkin-making machine, said the 90% of women without access to sanitary products are at even higher health risk.

    Done!
    Facebook
    Whatsapp
    Twitter
    Linkedin
    Related News
    Latest
    India
    Delhi University
    Health & Wellness
    Padma Shri

    Latest

    Hours after announcement, Pakistan breaches ceasefire understanding: Government Donald Trump
    Vijay Sethupathi's 'Ace' to stream on this platform post-theatrical run Amazon Prime Video
    Atletico's Alexander Sorloth makes La Liga history with earliest hat-trick Atletico Madrid
    Mohammad Abbas claims his 48th 5-wicket haul in FC cricket Mohammad Abbas

    India

    Is China making Pakistan its newest economic colony? Pakistan News
    Chinese state media ridicule India's boycott of OBOR Summit Pakistan News
    China eyes up Pakistan: Dawn newspaper leaks CPEC master plan Pakistan News
    Google's Internet Sathi - Internet literacy comes to rural Assam Assam

    Delhi University

    Union Minister's advice for female foreign tourists India
    What happened in Delhi today? Delhi
    Delhi; city of news, views and queues Delhi High Court
    Never a dull day in Delhi, 'news-wise' Akhilesh Yadav

    Health & Wellness

    Aruna Shanbaug’s assailant tracked in UP India
    Female Genital Mutilation: Indian-origin doctor arrested in US World Health Organization
    Government to launch pneumonia vaccine by April-end India
    Gin aids in weight loss by increasing metabolism Books

    Padma Shri

    Mother Teresa's elevation to Sainthood Sushma Swaraj
    Harbhajan gives me nightmares: Ponting Ricky Ponting
    Carnatic music legend M Balamuralikrishna passes away Tamil Nadu
    India honours "unsung heroes," gives them Padma awards India
    Indian Premier League (IPL) Celebrity Hollywood Bollywood UEFA Champions League Tennis Football Smartphones Cryptocurrency Upcoming Movies Premier League Cricket News Latest automobiles Latest Cars Upcoming Cars Latest Bikes Upcoming Tablets
    About Us Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Contact Us Ethical Conduct Grievance Redressal News News Archive Topics Archive Download DevBytes Find Cricket Statistics
    Follow us on
    Facebook Twitter Linkedin
    All rights reserved © NewsBytes 2025