Observational studyBMJ open2017
Examining the safety of menstrual cups among rural primary school girls in western Kenya: observational studies nested in a randomised controlled feasibility study.
Observational study in BMJ open, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05444504 (Effectiveness and Acceptability of Two Insertable Device Models for Non-surgical Management of Obstetric Fistula), which is not on this map. Cited by 24 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Effectiveness and Acceptability of Two Insertable Device Models for Non-surgical Management of Obstetric Fistula: a Randomized Crossover Trial
Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 54 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effect of menstrual cups on vaginal health, reproductive tract and urogenital infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.EBioMedicine · 2026Pooled it
- Measurement in the study of menstrual health and hygiene: A systematic review and audit.PloS one · 2020Pooled it
- Menstrual cup use, leakage, acceptability, safety, and availability: a systematic review and meta-analysis.The Lancet. Public health · 2019Pooled it
- Characterizing the bacterial surface profiles of menstrual cups and their association with user characteristics and vaginal microbiomes in an adolescent cohort from western Kenya.Gates open research · 2026Trial
- Water, sanitation and hygiene at sex work venues to support menstrual needs.Frontiers in public health · 2024Trial
- Use of menstrual cups among school girls: longitudinal observations nested in a randomised controlled feasibility study in rural western Kenya.Reproductive health · 2018Trial
- Effectiveness and acceptability of two insertable device models for non-surgical management of obstetric fistula: protocol for a hybrid type I randomized crossover trial.BMC women's health · 2025Article
- Uptake and Adherence to Using a Menstrual Cup for Managing Menstruation Among Women in Rural Areas of India.Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology of India · 2025Article
- The Vaginal Microbiome and Reproductive Health in Adolescents and Adults.Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology · 2025Review
- Ureterohydronephrosis due to a menstrual cup.BMJ case reports · 2025Article
- "Should I tell him I have something in my vagina?" Female sex workers' perceptions and experiences of using a menstrual cup, and client reactions: A qualitative study in Western Kenya.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2025Article
- Effectiveness of a video-assisted teaching program on menstrual cup usage among women (18-45 years age group) in selected colleges of Patna.Journal of family medicine and primary care · 2024Article
- Article
- "Menstruation is a Fearful Thing": A Qualitative Exploration of Menstrual Experiences and Sources of Information About Menstruation Among Adolescent Schoolgirls.International journal of women's health · 2023Article
- Use of reusable menstrual management materials and associated factors among women of reproductive age in Ghana: analysis of the 2017/18 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey.BMC women's health · 2022Article
- In Vitro Study to Assess Effective Cleaning Techniques for RemovingInternational journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Cost-Effectiveness and Cost-Benefit Analyses of Providing Menstrual Cups and Sanitary Pads to Schoolgirls in Rural Kenya.Women's health reports (New Rochelle, N.Y.) · 2022Article
- Interventions promoting uptake of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) technologies in low- and middle-income countries: An evidence and gap map of effectiveness studies.Campbell systematic reviews · 2021Article
- Acceptability and safety of the menstrual cups among Iranian women: a cross-sectional study.BMC women's health · 2021Article
- Acceptability and feasibility of using vaginal menstrual cups among schoolgirls in rural Nepal: a qualitative pilot study.Reproductive health · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveExamine the safety of menstrual cups against sanitary pads and usual practice in Kenyan schoolgirls.
designObservational studies nested in a cluster randomised controlled feasibility study.
setting30 primary schools in a health and demographic surveillance system in rural western Kenya.
participantsMenstruating primary schoolgirls aged 14-16 years participating in a menstrual feasibility study.
interventionsInsertable menstrual cup, monthly sanitary pads or 'usual practice' (controls). OUTCOME MEASURES:
resultsAmong 604 eligible girls tested, no adverse event or TSS was detected over a median 10.9 months follow-up.
conclusionsAmong this feasibility sample, no evidence emerged to indicate menstrual cups are hazardous or cause health harms among rural Kenyan schoolgirls, but large-scale trials and post-marketing surveillance should continue to evaluate cup safety.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.