Scientists at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland have resorted to crowdfunding research that could have material benefits for women’s health.
This May, which is Menstrual Health Awareness Month, University scientists are campaigning to crowdfund research they believe could help save women from dangerous infections.
The microbiologists are investigating the hygiene of reuseable period products, menstrual cups and discs, which have exploded in popularity, but lack safety information.
“We did a literature search at the beginning of this idea and found only four studies that have investigated the formation of biofilms on the menstrual cups,” says Dr Priscila Dauros-Singorenko, a research fellow in Molecular Medicine and Pathology at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.
Biofilms are communities of microbes that attach tightly to surfaces and surround themselves with protective substances. They can be more difficult to remove with washing and mild disinfectants than free‑living microbes.
The studies that Dauros-Singorenko and her supervisor, Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles, did find were carried out in conditions unlike those occurring in a vagina.
“That got me thinking about whether we could investigate the safety of these products in conditions that mimic a menstruating vagina,” Wiles says.
The products have grown rapidly in popularity in light of their affordability and sustainability.
Based on industry retail spending data from 2023, New Zealanders spent approximately $79 million on disposable menstrual products.
Dauros‑Singorenko and Wiles were keen to work together on the investigation. However, despite a clear gap in evidence on how to use these products safely, they have struggled to attract research funding over the past 18 months.
Their study aims to independently test how well different microbes can form biofilms on a range of menstrual cups and discs under conditions that closely mimic real use.
The study will focus on organisms known to form biofilms and to be associated with biofilm‑related infections, including bacteria linked to menstrual toxic shock syndrome, urinary tract infections and bacterial vaginosis, as well as yeast that can cause thrush.
They will also test a variety of products currently on the market. The global number of menstrual cups and discs has grown rapidly, yet regulation varies widely.
In New Zealand, these products are not considered medical devices and are subject to very limited safety regulation.
While many established brands provide clear information about materials, manufacturing standards and cleaning instructions, cheaper products sold online often provide little or no safety information.
“We want to know whether material quality, design or price makes a difference when it comes to biofilm formation,” Dauros-Singorenko says.
In the meantime, Dauros-Singorenko recommends women buy reusable menstrual products from well-known brands and follow the care instructions.
The team has launched its crowdfunding campaign during Menstrual Health Awareness Month to support the study.
They note that historically only a small proportion of health research funding is directed toward conditions that primarily affect women outside of cancer.
“In Aotearoa, more than one million people are of menstruating age,” Wiles says.
“Reusable period products are affordable and sustainable, so we want to make sure people can use them with confidence, backed by independent scientific evidence.”
You can contribute here: https://support.auckland.ac.nz/mcr