environmental chemicals in feminine hygiene products

Feminine care products, such as menstrual pads and tampons, are used widely by women worldwide. These products are intended for use on vaginal and vulvar tissues, which are more permeable than exposed skin and therefore have higher uptake and are potentially more vulnerable to exposure to toxic chemicals. Potential chemical exposure, especially of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), through use of feminine care products has been a public health concern. Although there is considerable concern and fear regarding toxic VOC exposure from menstrual pads and tampons, little is known about potential exposure risks of VOC through use of feminine care products. We conducted a pilot study to achieve two specific aims: Identify VOCs in feminine care products by type (pads, tampons, douches, powders), brand (products with the top market share), and country (US, Korea, China); and Examine associations between patterns of the use of feminine care products (type, frequencies) and concentrations of VOCs in urine samples collected before, during and after menstruation. This project was funded through the Michigan Center on Lifestage Environmental Exposures and Disease (MLEEaD).