MyFlowCup: A Novel Anatomically Adaptive Menstrual Cup Designed to Address Unmet Needs in Menstrual Hygiene

Alyssa Domingo, Alfred Shihata.

Abstract

Introduction: More than two billion women menstruate each month, yet many continue to lack access to adequate menstrual hygiene products. In many low-resource settings, women still rely on improvised materials such as leaves or rags. Menstrual cups have become increasingly accepted as a reusable alternative to disposable menstrual products. Despite increasing adoption, the basic cone-shaped menstrual cup design has remained largely unchanged since its introduction nearly a century ago. This presents an opportunity to improve user comfort, ease of use, anatomical fit, and prevention of leakage.

Objective: To develop and preliminarily evaluate a reusable, safe, easy-to-use, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable menstrual cup designed to overcome the limitations of conventional pads, tampons, and traditional cone-shaped menstrual cups.

Methods: Existing menstrual hygiene products, including sanitary pads, tampons, and conventional cone-shaped menstrual cups, were evaluated to identify design limitations and common user concerns. We designed and manufactured multiple prototypes to improve ergonomics, simplify insertion and removal, reduce leakage, and provide reliable protection for up to 12 hours. The final design incorporates features that allow the cup to rotate and adapt to normal anatomical variations, including uterine retroversion. We developed multiple sizes to accommodate women with varying cervical heights, including those with a low cervix. Volunteer participants evaluated the final prototype to assess ease of use, comfort, and leakage.

Results: Volunteer participants reported that folding, insertion, and removal of the device were easier after a brief learning period. No participant reported nighttime leakage. The only evidence of minimal leakage occurred during insertion or removal. Overall, participants described the device as comfortable and satisfactory in routine use.

Conclusion: The MyFlowCup is a novel menstrual cup designed to address several limitations of conventional menstrual products. Preliminary user evaluation suggests that it may improve comfort, ease of use, and protection against leakage while providing a reusable and cost-effective option for menstrual management.