Period poverty is a term used to describe a lack of access to proper menstrual products and the education needed to use them effectively. In total, there are around 500 million women and girls that cannot manage their periods safely due to lack of menstrual products and for fear of shame. The American Medical Women's Association defines period poverty as "the inadequate access to menstrual hygiene tools and educations, including but not limited to sanitary products, washing facilities, and waste management". The lack of access to menstrual hygiene products can cause physical health problems, such as infections and reproductive tract complications, and can have negative social and psychological consequences, including missed school or work days and stigma. The causes of consequences of period poverty intersect issues of gender equality and economic justice, and there are diverse acts of legislation and perceptions of period poverty around the world. Moreover, social media, consciousness raising, awareness campaigns, and the arts provide avenues for modern day advocacy regarding period poverty. In addition to these understandings, the lack of period products and resources that are limited in period poverty, but the lack of access to safe water and sanitation to manage menstrual cycles in included in the definition of period poverty.
Causes A variety of cultural factors contribute to period poverty.
Menstrual stigma One of the leading cultural factors that contributes to period poverty is menstrual stigma, also known as period shaming. The National Library of Medicine defines menstrual stigma as "the negative perception of menstruation and those who menstruate, characterizing the menstruating body as abnormal and abject". Menstrual stigma has significant impacts on the lives of those women including their health, education, economic opportunities, and participation in public and social life. The stigma can result in a lack of support for women and the propagation of harmful and misogynistic stereotypes. Period shaming can make women feel insecure about the menstrual process and thus less likely to carry period products on hand, as well as less likely to have conversations on menstrual health with friends and family members. Furthermore, the affects of this insecurity negatively manifests in the minds of society that further shapes their cultural and religious beliefs consolidating stigmatism and shame surrounding a women's menstrual cycle.
Historical and global perceptions of menstruation Globally, women who menstruate often rely on euphemisms to discuss menstruation. For example, the use of these phrases such as "'strawberry week' in Austria, 'I'm with Chico' in Brazil, and 'Granny's stuck in traffic' in South Africa can contribute to the taboo surrounding menstruation. In some cultures around the world, menstrual blood itself is seen as unholy and women are encouraged to hide signs of menstrual bleeding from their male counterparts. These beliefs can be traced far back to the early stages of civilization. For example, in AD 70 Pliny the Elder wrote that menstruation was "productive of the most monstrous effects" and that crops would "wither and die" and bees would "forsake their hives if touched by a menstruous woman." In 1694, books on midwifery likened menstruating women to "a mythical beast with venomous breath" on account of their shared ability to "disperse poison through the air." In the US specifically, Thinx found that 80% of sampled 13- to 19-year-olds believe periods have a negative association. This same study found that 57% have felt personally affected by this negative association, and 64% think society generally teaches girls to be ashamed of their periods.
Monetary and resource struggles The sheer price of menstrual products prohibits large numbers of women and girls from being able to access necessary goods to manage their periods. Not only are products expensive, but legislation like the “pink tax,” in which products marketed for women are taxed at a greater rate than men, make it even more challenging for women to afford care products. Additionally, over 1.5 billion people lack access to basic sanitation services, including things like private toilets. This prevents women and girls from adequately caring for themselves during their period, and often results in women and girls missing work and school during their menstrual cycle further increasing the inequitable divide between men and women. Without access to minimum sanitation services and clean water, women are forced to rearrange their life during their periods. This is another cause of period poverty.
Consequences Physical, mental health, and social costs arise when women have limited or inconsistent access to period products and adequate menstrual hygiene management.
Physical health A study from the Women's Health Group at Boston Medical Center centering on college-aged females in the United States reported that some women who could not afford pads or tampons used more cost-effective materials to prevent leakage, including rags, toilet paper, and children's diapers. If the materials are unsanitary, resorting to alternative methods to mitigate one's period can put them at higher risk of urogenital infections, such as bacterial vaginosis and urinary tract infections (UTIs). Moreover, women may leave tampons in their bodies longer than recommended and/ or use period products past their expiration dates. Using an unsterilised menstrual cup or leaving a tampon in for more than eight hours puts the user at risk for toxic shock syndrome, a life-threatening condition which can cause flu-like symptoms, low blood pressure, and organ failure. Menstrual products can also cause vaginal itchiness, irritation, and increased discharge when used after expiration. While a menstrual cup should be replaced every two years, tampons and pads typically expire after five years. Period poverty can additionally impact reproductive health, as those with female anatomy who lack access to adequate menstrual mitigation resources are at higher risk for infertility, recurrent abortions, and ectopic pregnancies.
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