Sanitary pads may not be that clean after all. According to a recent study, most sanitary napkins supplied in India are contaminated with substances that cause cancer. Some women’s usage of sanitary napkins may result in cancer and even infertility. Given that roughly three out of every four teenage girls in India use sanitary napkins, the study’s findings are surprising.
According to Dr. Amit, one of the investigators and the programme coordinator at the environmental NGO Toxics Link, which carried out the study, ‘It is shocking to find numerous harmful chemicals in commonly available sanitary products, including toxic chemicals like carcinogens, reproductive toxins, endocrine disruptors, and allergens’.
Ten different pad brands were evaluated for the study, according to an article in India Today. The NGO is a member of the International Pollutants Elimination Network. The samples that were analysed apparently had traces of phthalates and volatile chemical compounds (VOCs). Both pollutants have the capacity to generate malignant cells. Some phthalates that are prohibited by European rules were discovered by Toxics Link.
The study also shows that there is a very high likelihood that dangerous substances would enter the body through sanitary pads. As a mucous membrane, the vagina may release and absorb toxins more quickly than the skin, according to Toxics Link programme coordinator Dr. Aakanksha Mehrotra, who participated in this study. Many discussions regarding menstrual hygiene centre on the idea that sanitary napkins are preferable than unclean protection during periods.
However, until recently, there has never been any mention of the presence of dangerous compounds, including carcinogens, in sanitary pads. According to the most recent National Family Health Survey, roughly 64% of Indian women between the ages of 15 and 24 use sanitary pads. Demographics and educational level also affect pad usage. It might be assumed that a more affluent culture uses pads more frequently.
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