Each month, from puberty through menopause, female bodies prepare for pregnancy. The uterus’ lining thickens. An egg grows and leaves one ovary.  When pregnancy doesn’t occur, estrogen and progesterone levels fall so low, that lining and two to three tablespoons of blood, leave via the vagina.

To absorb the flow, ancient Egyptian women inserted soft, papyrus. Greek women once wrapped lint around pieces of wood. In ancient Japan, women created paper tampons. Hawaiian women used ferns. Indonesians used vegetable fibers and Africans inserted rolls of grass.

In 1931,  Dr. Earle Cleveland Haas patented an item he called a “catamenial device,” from the Greek word for monthly. He sold his rights to the “tampon” + “vaginal pack” to Gertrude Tendrich. That businesswoman started the company called Tampax. Forty years later, research linking tampons to toxic shock syndrome began.

The Mayo Clinic explains that “Staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria cause toxic shock syndrome,” which can come from:

• Cuts or burns
• Recent surgery
• Contraceptive sponges, diaphragms, superabsorbent tampons and menstrual cups
• Viral infections like flu or chickenpox

Whether in males or females, toxic shock syndrome can cause shock, renal failure and death.

Prevention reported, “many tampon applicators contain phthalates, a group of hormone-disrupting chemicals that have been linked to everything from early-onset menopause to diabetes, and the cotton used to make tampons and pads is typically bleached.”  And, “Many feminine hygiene products also contain rayon and polyester. After being in contact with body fluids, these materials can release chemicals akin to BPA [bisephenol A, a chemical used to make plastics] and other phthalates.”

NPR reported, “Some states are passing their own laws in the absence of federal requirements.” The article stated, “In 2022, Reps. Debbie Lesko, R.-Ariz., and Meng — one of the letter’s signatories — introduced the “Menstrual Products Right to Know Act,” which would have required the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to “treat menstrual products as misbranded if their labeling does not list each component of the product.”

While waiting for congress to act, here are alternatives:

• Six Feminine Hygiene Products Free of Scary Toxins  
• 14 Best Non Toxic Tampons and Period Products 

Details:

• Made of 100% polyester fabric
• Includes 12 holes at top for ease in hanging
• Dimensions 71” wide, 74” tall
• Cost: $68 to $78

NOTE: Each item has a tool to adjust size and placement of art as well as  over 60 background colors.

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