The igg indicator is positive. Cytomegalovirus igg antibodies detected, what does this mean? How the virus is transmitted

The menstrual cup (mouth guard, cap) is an increasingly popular means of feminine intimate hygiene. It was first developed in 1930, at the same time that tampons were introduced. However, due to the fact that to use it you need to insert it into the vagina with your hands, which was considered indecent at that time, it did not become widespread. Tampon manufacturers have gotten around the problem by creating a disposable applicator.

general information

Few people know what a menstrual cup is. This is a modern remedy intended for use during menstrual periods. The mouthguard looks like a cap, a bell.

Menstrual cups are:

1. Disposable. They are most often made from polyethylene; in appearance they resemble a diaphragm (a barrier type of contraception). These mouthguards are soft and flexible.
2. Reusable. Made from latex, medical silicone, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). The period of use can be up to 10 years. But each manufacturer has its own recommendations for the operating time of the bowl, indicated in the instructions.

To make it easier to remove the bowl, there is a “tail” located at the bottom. It can be oblong, like a ball or a ring.

The caps of menstrual cups are transparent or multi-colored. For colored dyes, certified dyes are used. Their advantage over transparent trays is that they maintain their presentation for longer. Colorless products quickly become contaminated and turn yellow.

Mouthguards are a good alternative to pads and tampons, and made from medical grade silicone, they are suitable even for allergy sufferers.

Thanks to the large selection, you can choose the right hygiene product for every woman.

What is a menstrual cup for?

There is a large selection of hygiene products on the market. However, menstrual cups are gaining popularity. Why do you need a mouth guard? Unlike tampons and pads, it does not absorb blood, but collects it inside itself. The technique for inserting the cap is similar to using a tampon. But a tampon, by absorbing secretions, can dry out and irritate the vaginal mucosa.

Using gaskets is also not always convenient. It is constantly felt throughout the day and can stand out in tight-fitting clothing. The mouthguard, inserted correctly, is absolutely not felt and is invisible to others. It can be used for sports, dancing, and swimming.

The cap can only be used during menstrual periods. The material from which the cup is made straightens and adheres to the walls of the vagina, thereby eliminating the possibility of blood leaking out.

Read also

The most famous form is the tulip menstrual cup. It follows the structure of the female body, thus not being felt during use. Women who have chosen this particular form know its advantages and what it is needed for. Namely: for sports and dancing, swimming in reservoirs, for trips and travel.

Menstruation is a natural occurrence for all women who have reached reproductive age (approximately 12 to 45 years). During the period…

Not everyone can choose the right size right away. But by following the above tips on how to choose a menstrual cup, you can avoid many mistakes.

How to use

Using a mouth guard may seem more complicated than using tampons or pads. In fact, everything is not as difficult as it seems.

Before use, read the instructions for use. The rules of use, recommendations and contraindications will be described there.

You need to study in advance the possible causes of mouthguard leakage:

• wrong size;
• surface damaged;
• entered incorrectly.

Before using the menstrual cup, it must be disinfected. This can be done by boiling in water for about 5 minutes. Some mouth guards are sold with a special disinfectant.

How to insert the cup correctly is shown in the instructions.

Curettage or gynecological cleansing is the most common procedure in women, which removes...

How to understand that it’s time to change the cup

Reusable menstrual trays can last a very long time. Typically, the service life is determined by the manufacturer. In general, cups can be used without replacement for 5–10 years.

Most often, feminine hygiene products are changed after childbirth. The size of the vagina increases, therefore, you need to choose a larger cup. After childbirth, the amount of discharge may change (usually it becomes more abundant). This must also be taken into account when choosing the volume of the bowl.

Over time, the surface of the mouth guard may become deformed: scratches, cracks appear, and the appearance deteriorates. In this case, you can also replace the hygiene product.

Advantages and disadvantages

Menstrual mouth guards, like all feminine hygiene products, have their advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

1. Long service life of the reusable model. A mouth guard is more expensive than tampons and pads, but it will pay for itself after 2-3 menstrual cycles.
2. Does not harm the body. Tampons can dry out the vaginal lining or cause toxic shock syndrome. Tampons and pads also create a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria.
3. A correctly installed bowl will protect against leaks and unpleasant odors, and will be invisible to others.
4. Manufacturers indicate that the mouth guard can be left in place for up to 12 hours, which is not comparable to the use of other hygiene products. But it is better not to go up to 12 hours, cleaning the cup approximately 4-6 hours after insertion.
5. Critical days with the use of a cap are not an obstacle to sports, swimming and active recreation.
6. Compared to tampons and pads, the cup is environmentally friendly. After all, only its contents need to be disposed of.
7. When having sex, the disposable cup does not need to be removed. But please note that it will not protect against unwanted pregnancy or infection.

Every girl has faced the eternal problem of leakage or discomfort when using conventional pads and tampons during the menstrual period, but they have been replaced by a unique product developed by experienced specialists that will save you from unnecessary problems and give you complete freedom of action during your menstrual days.

On various foreign websites, videos and online stores, we have repeatedly heard a name that slips past our ears and is unfamiliar to us: “menstrual mouthguard.” Many female representatives simply passed by, and some still tried to figure out the intriguing question: “what is a menstrual cup?” and “how to use a menstrual cup?”

In this article we will try to understand in detail what it is, how to use a mouthguard for menstruation, how effective it is, its shelf life, contraindications for use and other equally important issues.

Menstrual mouth guards (cups) are a new, effective and reusable product for feminine and intimate hygiene, which has been tested by various scientists in many laboratories and, as it turns out, is a great help during menstrual periods.

The menstruation cup is similar to a tulip and is made of medical silicone, which is easily compressed and does not cause allergic reactions even in those women whose skin is negatively affected by the slightest changes and environmental influences. This material is so harmless that it is used to make heart valves, breast implants and other similar structures.

Menstrual cups are fixed at the most convenient depth for you in the vagina and without providing the girl with any discomfort. It very carefully collects bloody discharge and does not leak due to the fact that its size is individual for each, and the fastening inside us occurs due to the muscles of the vagina and the vacuum created inside it.

It differs from a regular tampon in that it does not absorb the secreted substance, but collects it in itself - this function is considered very good and safe for women’s health.

In addition to all the advantages listed above, menstrual cups perfectly protect the vaginal cavity and uterus from various infections. This female device can be used in various situations, be it playing sports or relaxing on the beach.

Also, the menstrual cup attracts women with its durability and, thanks to this, savings. The duration of its use ranges from five to ten years, depending on how carefully and efficiently you care for it.

Advantages and disadvantages in comparison with other hygiene products

Menstrual cups have many good and useful qualities that other hygiene products do not have:

• ordinary tampons worsen the condition of the microflora of the female vagina, since they absorb not only menstrual flow, but also natural lubrication, and a mouthguard, in its time, does not harm the mucous membrane;
• the cups cope with even the heaviest periods;
• You can use a menstrual cup for several years, which really helps save a lot of money from your budget;
• there is no need to change this device very often, as it is designed for a larger amount of fluid released than conventional pads and tampons;
• When using a mouth guard, you should not be afraid that your female organs will be exposed to various fungal diseases and allergic reactions;
• it does not contain bleaching agents, absorbents or deodorizing substances;
• It is very convenient to use this hygiene method during a wide variety of vigorous activities. This product is made of a very elastic material, which does not provide its owner with the slightest discomfort when performing various “complex” movements. Its most important advantage is that it qualitatively protects it from possible leakage.

Existing disadvantages present when using this silicone device:

• a small amount of medical research and lack of recognition in the world. Although mouthguards were invented more than a hundred years ago, unfortunately, they are much less common than the well-known tampons and pads;
• stagnation of bloody discharge inside a woman. Due to the vacuum space and the inability of oxygen to penetrate into the vaginal cavity, aerobic bacteria develop. But infection can also occur using other hygiene methods. To avoid the proliferation of infectious diseases in the body, try to carefully monitor your intimate hygiene;
• instructions for using a menstrual cup are subject to any woman;
• release of blood back into the uterine cavity. This happens because the structure of the cup allows blood to move freely through it. This most often occurs while sleeping or performing sports movements. It is known that the uterus opens at the moment of regulation, and the entry of menstrual blood into it provokes the development of endometriosis and other inflammatory processes;
• It is not recommended to use menstrual cups for girls who have not yet undergone hymen rupture, women with IUDs that prevent pregnancy, and those who have any diseases of gynecological origin.

Of course, before you start using a silicone cup, you need to consult a qualified gynecologist and undergo the necessary medical examination. If, after examining your body, the doctor allows you to use a mouth guard, carefully understand the rules for its use.

How to use

Instructions in photo

In the event that you still choose menstrual guards as a hygiene product, then you need to study the rules for using this device so as not to expose your body to danger and so that the time of use of this product is as long as possible.

How to use a menstrual cup:

• after you have purchased this hygiene product, carefully study the instructions;
• before using the cup for the first time, you need to thoroughly treat it and boil it, using a special antiseptic;
• Before contacting the mouthguard, you must wash your hands thoroughly with soap;
• To ensure that insertion of this device into the vagina is not difficult, use water-based pharmaceutical lubricants;
• in order to learn how to fold it correctly when inserting it and study all possible methods of this manipulation, study the many existing videos and photos on the Internet;
• before removing the mouth guard from the vaginal cavity, also wash your hands thoroughly;
• After removing this device, rinse it with cool water to remove traces of blood. Before using it, thoroughly sterilize it using specialized antibacterial agents and boiling water;
• If it is not possible to sterilize a hygiene item every day before insertion, then perform this procedure at least 2 times a month - before and after its use.

Storage methods:

• after completing the regulation, thoroughly disinfect the bowl using the means intended for this;
• after the sterilization process, wipe it dry;
• when the mouthguard is not in use, store it in a special cotton case, which is included with it at the time of purchase;
• For field conditions, you can treat the bowl using wet wipes.

Women are forced to shell out money every month for personal hygiene products: pads, tampons. But their use has many disadvantages, including the possibility of leakage, inconvenience of changing, etc. And in addition to this, you have to shell out a tidy sum for these hygiene supplies. A new product for maintaining feminine hygiene during menstruation is menstrual cups.

What it is?

Mouthguards (from English cup – bowl) look like a small soft cap made of silicone. Such a vessel is located in the vagina and prevents fluid from leaking out. The hygienic device is a reusable item. To clean the bowl, you just need to wash it under running water and then boil it.

Silicone menstrual caps consist of the following parts:

1. rim (thickening along the edge of the mouthguard for fixation in the walls of the vagina, selected according to its diameter);
2. the base of the mouth guard (the entire amount of liquid released will accumulate in this part);
3. tail (part of the bowl responsible for removing the hygienic device).

Externally, the shape of the bowl is very similar to a bell. The color range of products can be varied. They are sold in special bags that serve as storage space on days when the cup is not in use.

Operating principle

Menstrual trays (also known as moon cups and caps) have become an alternative solution to the problem of heavy discharge. Often, regular tampons and disposable sanitary pads are not able to withstand the load of intense menstrual flow.

Fitting tightly to the walls of the vagina and forming a vacuum there, the mouthguard does not budge and does not allow menstrual blood to pass through. If a leak occurs, it means the device was installed incorrectly.

Cups for collecting menstrual fluid are used not only for heavy periods, but also in situations where changing the same tampon is impossible. After all, mouthguards collect secretions (blood), rather than absorb them. The cups are able to collect menstrual fluid of medium intensity for about 12 hours, without overflowing the cup.

Varieties

There are few types of menstrual guards. They are approximately the same in shape - bell-shaped. And if we characterize mouthguards based on the material they are made of, they can be divided into 2 groups:

1. Medical silicone is used to make the cup(as a variation - latex or other similar material that has a flexible, soft structure). Thanks to this, the mouth guard is easy to clean;
2. less popular mouth guards - polyethylene. Soft aligners can be selected for one-time use or those that are used throughout one menstrual cycle.

Manufacturers of silicone menstrual cups indicate on the packaging the period of possible use. The approximate period usually ranges between 1 and 5 years. But on sale you can find a longer term - 10 years. Unlike silicone ones, polyethylene mouthguards must be purchased either daily or for each menstrual cycle, which is not an advantageous purchase condition.

Dimensions

As surprising as it may be, bowls have their own size chart. The indicators for choosing the size are diameter and length. The comfort of wearing such a hygienic product also depends on the softness of the material. Soft products are pliable, and therefore easily take the shape of the vagina, adapt to the position of the body and do not allow leaks. Stiffer products may contribute to leaks.

Typically, manufacturers produce products in different sizes so that women can choose the best product for themselves. Some people limit themselves to a couple of sizes, but many prefer to give consumers a choice.

1. Women who have not given birth, short stature, under 30 years of age - size S. Also, this size is suitable for those who have a small amount of discharge and those who have weak vaginal muscles.
2. Women who have not given birth or who have undergone delivery by Caesarean section, who are of average or short stature, and who do not have problems with excess weight, can safely choose size M.
3. Experienced natural childbirth, age after 30 years, height above average - L;
4. Tall, overweight, repeated natural births - XL, if the discharge is not profuse, then you can also purchase L.

You can also choose your size with the help of a gynecologist. He will select not only the optimal mouth guard, but also determine the required rigidity of the product.

Usage

The first “red flag” of improper use of a mouthguard is the feeling of the presence and flow of secretions outward. An incorrectly chosen size also does not exclude such consequences. But even if you choose the right silicone menstrual cup, you can get an unexpected negative effect.

How to enter?

No matter how intimidating a menstrual mouth guard may look, you shouldn’t be afraid to use it. If there is uncertainty about the correct insertion, then for the first time you can use a gasket to protect against leaks.

If the product has just been purchased and is being used for the first time, before use it should be washed with soapy water and the menstrual tray should be boiled for 5 minutes. Follow these simple steps to learn how to insert and use the mouthguard correctly.

After unsuccessful attempts, do not despair. If the insertion of the mouthguard fails the first time, after a while you need to try again, after rinsing the product.

The use of a menstrual guard may last for varying amounts of time. The interval for cleaning the bowl depends on the volume of secretions. The first days of use after purchase will be “test”. At this time, it is recommended to choose additional protective equipment - disposable or reusable sanitary pads.

How to extract?

Even if you have tested the bowl and it turns out to be partially filled, it must be removed correctly. As with insertion, there are correct methods of extraction and those that should not be resorted to.

To be able to safely remove the bowl, it is best to do this above the bidet or toilet. During extraction, the pelvic and vaginal muscles need to be relaxed as much as possible. Next, you should follow the procedure.

1. Wash your hands with soap.
2. Find the tail of the cap, rise a little higher from it, lightly press on the walls of the cup to break the vacuum inside, carefully remove the cap from the vagina, while keeping it in a vertical position (so as not to spill the contents).
3. After rinsing under water, it can be used again.

You need to pull the mouthguard out by the tail, so it will come out gently and will not cause discomfort.

Choosing a menstrual guard

If everything has already been determined with the size, it is worth thinking about for what purpose you need to purchase a mouth guard. To determine the rigidity, you can use the following criteria:

1. High rigidity. Bowls with this indicator are intended for active physical activity. When deformed, the material tries to restore its shape as quickly as possible, so there will be no leaks.
2. Medium hardness b. A universal indicator for use by women with standard needs: minor physical activity, everyday activity (study, work, home).
3. Low hardness. Ultra-soft products for sensitive vaginal skin (if insertion of a tampon causes discomfort, then the vagina is highly sensitive). Such products are easy to insert, do not cause discomfort, and are suitable for those with weak vaginal muscles.

The correctly selected size and rigidity of the bowl guarantees comfort while wearing the bowl and cleanliness of the laundry.

Popular manufacturers of menstrual cups are Yukki, Fleurcup, Lena Cup, Dutchess Cup, Mooncup, Femmycycle. The cost of products may vary. It all depends on the material used and the durability of the mouth guard.

Care and cleaning after use

To maintain intimate hygiene, menstrual trays must be properly cleaned. If quick cleaning is needed between uses, the mouthguard can simply be washed with running water and soap. It should not be scented or antibacterial. It is most effective to purchase regular laundry or fragrance-free baby soap to care for the bowl.

Since the bowl has small holes near the rim, they should be given special attention. When washing the product under running water, it is worth placing places with holes directly under the stream so that the water itself washes away the dirt. After washing, it is better to wait for the product to dry. There is no need to wipe it with anything so as not to leave fibers on the surface.

After the end of menstruation, proper cup care should not end. Manufacturers recommend storing the menstrual tray in a bag or special container that came with the product.

Before use in the next menstrual cycle, it is better to boil the mouth guard or wipe it with alcohol.

Advantages and disadvantages

Menstrual cups are not just convenient for modern women. They also have many positive qualities:

• Caring for the environment. Manufacturers of tampons and pads, although they produce products for the comfort of women, pollute the environment (the materials of sanitary products have a long half-life). One bowl can be used for many years and significantly reduces waste.
• Safety. The cup does not damage the vaginal mucosa, does not provoke the growth of bacteria inside it, and does not cause toxic shock syndrome. Also, using a bowl minimizes the occurrence of fungal infections.
• Savings and convenience of menstrual trays. The female body cleanses itself every month, which requires constant spending on hygiene products. The bowl is bought for a long time and after spending once, the product will serve for a long time and will not require new expenses. The ability to change the mouthguard every 8-12 hours makes it convenient for use in any situation.

Although the cup is very useful for many women, it brings a lot of inconvenience to many. Careless removal of the bowl can stain your clothes, and not all places allow you to easily empty and wash it.

1. It is not recommended to use cups for virgins, as well as in the first two to three months after natural childbirth.
2. The mouthguard should not be used for diseases in the vagina, inflammatory processes in it, including infectious diseases (candidiasis, chlamydia, etc.)
3. If a woman uses contraceptives in the form of an intrauterine device, then before purchasing the product you should consult a gynecologist.
4. Failure to empty the bowl promptly can lead to leaks and bacteria growth inside the bowl.

Many ladies still cannot get used to the presence of the cup, noting discomfort and pressure on the walls of the intestines and urethra.

Menstrual cups(also called menstrual caps, mouthguards) were invented back in the 30s of the 20th century, and gained popularity around the world in the 1980s. However, in the vastness of the CIS countries, women's mouthguards have not become as popular as in the West. Most often, the reason for this is basic ignorance about this phenomenon and many stereotypes around the use of menstrual caps.

To come to your own conclusions about the benefits or harms of using menstrual cups, we advise you to read this article, in which we will describe in detail all the pros and cons of this tool.

A menstrual cup is a flexible, bell-shaped container made from medical grade silicone or latex. The cup has a hollow container that, when placed in the vagina, serves to collect menstrual fluid.

The mouthguard does not absorb secretions, but simply holds them inside its container, that is, the cup must be removed and emptied every few hours (depending on the intensity of menstruation). But (unlike other means intimate hygiene) the cap is a reusable item (some manufacturers advertise a shelf life of 5 to 10 years).

When inserted correctly, the tray fits so tightly to the vaginal walls that it creates a vacuum. The vacuum effect prevents menstruation from leaking out, and also makes the cup invisible to wear for sensitive vaginal muscles (like a correctly inserted tampon) and will not allow it to fall out.

Pros of using a menstrual cup

1. The menstrual cup is comfortable and safe to use. While pads can create a “greenhouse effect”, leading to diaper rash, chafing, redness and irritation of the delicate skin of intimate parts, and tampons can cause dryness of the vaginal mucosa and even lead to TSS (toxic shock syndrome), the mouthguard is free of such risks . It does not affect the internal microflora (thanks to the hypoallergenic material) and does not allow the collected blood to come into contact with the vaginal walls, like tampons, or the external genitalia, like pads. And thanks to the flexibility and softness of the material, the cup is almost impossible to injure or injure internal organs.
2. The menstrual cup does not need to be emptied as often as changing tampons and pads. The mouthguard holds twice as much secretion as the most absorbent pads. In addition, the relative hygienic safety allows you to empty the cap every 5-12 hours.
3. In some cases, the cup can protect against infections. If we are talking about swimming in a pool or open water, where there is a high risk of contracting an infection in the water, then the vacuum created by the cap does not allow water to enter the vagina during swimming, and accordingly, harmful microorganisms from the outside cannot get inside either.
4. The menstrual cup is invisible under clothing. This factor is especially important for women going on vacation. A tampon is not always a lifesaver on a beach holiday, because its string can peek out from under miniature bikini panties at the most inopportune moment, and also causes hygienic inconveniences when wet. The cap is completely inside the vagina and not a single part of it comes into contact with the external environment.
5. A menstrual cup is more economical and environmentally friendly to use. As we wrote above, cap manufacturers guarantee a minimum period of use of 5 years. All this time will not need to be spent on pads or tampons, and you will not have to pollute the environment with recycled hygiene waste.
6. There is no specific odor, since there is no contact of the discharge with the skin of the genital organs and the environment.

Numerous studies by American and Canadian scientists have not identified risks for intimate health women - provided that she uses the cup according to the instructions and follows all the rules of hygiene.

Unlike other intimate hygiene products, a menstrual cup is a reusable item.

With all its advantages, the menstrual cup cannot be called a universal miracle product that suits all women. The mouthguard has its contraindications for use and some risks if the rules of use are violated. Let's take a closer look at the disadvantages of this method.

Disadvantages of using a menstrual cup

1. Using a mouth guard is not always convenient and hygienic in public places. As written above, the cup needs to be removed and emptied every few hours. And, of course, you need to do this with thoroughly washed hands. After this, it must be rinsed well with water and treated with sanitary napkins before reintroducing. Such conditions outside the home do not always exist, and inserting a cap after insufficiently thorough cleaning is fraught with the introduction of microbes into the vagina and the development of inflammatory processes.
2. Using a menstrual cup requires some skill. In order to correctly insert a mouth guard to create a vacuum effect and non-sensitive wear (and also remove it without spilling accumulated secretions), a woman will first need several training sessions to get used to doing it correctly and quickly. However, there are enough instructions in the form of illustrations, photos and videos on the Internet.
3. A menstrual cup is a rather expensive personal hygiene item (the most popular samples are produced by German, Czech and other European manufacturers). It pays off over many years of use, but if it was not possible to select the size or shape of the cap the woman needed the first time (or for some reason the patient cannot/doesn’t want to continue using the mouthguard), then such expenses are not always justified.
4. Using a menstrual cup is unsafe if the patient has frequent congestion. The mouthguard with blood inside is inside the vagina without access to oxygen (remember the vacuum effect) at a high temperature for almost the whole day. This is a potential factor in the occurrence of blood stagnation in the vagina. To reduce the risk, it is better for a woman to clean the cap more often than twice a day - for example, once every 4-5 hours.
5. There is a hypothesis about the risk of developing endometriosis and inflammatory processes in the uterus due to the use of a menstrual cup. This theory is not confirmed by accurate research data, but some gynecologists recognize its right to life. According to this version, with an uncontrolled change in body position (for example, during sleep or during intense sports), menstrual blood from the mouthguard can flow back into the dilated cervix.

Among them:

• Installed intrauterine device
• Inflammatory processes or chronic gynecological diseases
• Virginity (the hymen can be damaged if the cap is not inserted correctly)

To avoid possible problems with intimate health in the future, the gynecologist, before recommending the use of a menstrual cup to a patient, must conduct a thorough examination and study her medical history.

Using a menstrual cup is not always convenient and hygienic in public places, and failure to comply with hygiene rules in this case is fraught with infections and inflammation.

estet-portal.com decided to get an expert’s opinion on using a menstrual cup.