Women who use menstrual cups incorrectly could be at greater risk of suffering pelvic organ prolapse, an expert has warned, as the products continue to grow in popularity.
Menstrual cups fit into the vagina and are designed to collect blood during a women's period. Usually made of rubber or silicone, the cups can last up to 10 years, can hold more blood than other methods and are more sustainable than other products such as tampons.
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) has called on manufacturers to include better safety advice following claims that they were responsible for minor pelvic organ collapse.
Physiotherapist Kate Lough told The Independent that instructions on how to use the products can be unclear.
She added: "Some of the information included with menstrual cups can be hard to understand and not accurate, particularly the advice about taking the cup out.
"With many women using cups, this issue needs highlighting and manufacturers should provide credible advice from a respected source that is clear and easy to follow."
Ms Lough says the advice around removing the cups is particularly worrying. She added that using your pelvic muscles to bring the cup lower in the vagina is not correct and counters advice given to avoid prolapse.
According to the NHS, a pelvic organ prolapse is when one or more of the organs in the pelvis slip down from their normal position and bulge into the vagina.
The organs can include the womb, blower or bladder. A prolapse is not life-threatening but can cause pain and discomfort.
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