A menstrual cup is an inverted bell shaped flexible item that you insert into the vagina to collect menstrual fluids.  Once in place the idea is that it forms a seal and prevents blood flowing out of the vagina by holding it in place in its "cup" shaped reservoir.  Unlike a tampon which absorbs the blood along with the vagina's natural secretions, a menstrual cup simply holds the fluids until you remove it - so there is no drying out of the vagina as tampons can do, as there is no absorbing.

You might think these are a modern invention... not so. The concept was patented as early as  1902!  See my page on the history of menstrual cups. Of course, in those days the mere mention of menstruation would have been fairly taboo, and of course women were not supposed to touch their genitals (Tampons were released with applicators to avoid such familiarity with ones body).... so there was that problem for a start and with the cups being reusable there was no repeat business..... so the double problem of women not wanting to buy them, and anyone who did, didn't need to buy another (not a good combination for a business).... plus the fact you couldn't really advertise them, and women wouldn't have talked about them as we do today.... So while there were several versions produced in those early years, they did not succeed.  The first commercially viable cup seems to have been the Keeper, in the late 1980s.  So cups have been around for a LONG time!

A menstrual cup that holds 25-30ml is for most women going to be able to cope with a full day without emptying, and at most perhaps you would need to empty it a few times a day for a very heavy flow.  They recommend changing every 12 hours (or sooner) regardless of flow.

A menstrual cup will last (with proper care) for around 10 years, perhaps longer, so while the initial outlay is high, it pays for itself with savings pretty quick.  Particularly for women who use only tampons.  For those of us who use mostly pads, and use tampons for swimming or infrequently, you won't find the savings as great - however the health and environmental benefits might be enough for you to consider switching to a cup - it was for me... and you may find you use it more than you think you would.

I myself have used maybe 3 tampons in the last 10 years, so compared to 1 box of tampons that could literally last me a lifetime, a cup is much more expensive (and a handful of tampons isn't going to cause much environmental impact), but I consider my health (and my life) to be much more important to me than saving some money.  Really, we are talking about serious problems being possible with tampons!  And while I hated using tampons, I find myself using my cup through most of my period - something I never expected I'd do.

There are 6 types of reusable cups available today, (Keeper, Diva cup, Mooncup (UK), Lady Cup, Lunette and Moon Cup* (USA) (*see info below on an issue with that name) and one disposable (insteads).  These pages were created before Lady Cup came out, so it isn't included in some areas for that reason (until I update the site)

That can be a bit of a tough decision on which cup to buy.  Since women tend to buy only one, there aren't many who have tried all of them to make a comparison, and given that every woman's internal bits are shaped and sized differently, what works well for one may not work well for another.   The few comparisons I have seen between women who have tried different cups seem to have a better experience when they have switched, or have found only minor differences between them (err... yes, helpful I know).  Apart from the 2 sizes available, the cups do have slightly different shapes, which can be a factor in how well it fits the individual wearer.... but there is only a slight difference between the cups really and it seems that generally most women are satisfied with the cup they buy, with only a few having to try another brand to get a better fit.  It is a good idea to do some research into the cups before you go and buy one, to see which you think might suit you best.

• Info on all cups - Lists all the Reusable Menstrual cups (Diva, Keeper, Lady Cup, Lunette, Mooncup (UK), Mooncup (USA)) and the Insteads Disposable cups.  Giving details on them such as places to buy, capacity, composition, sizes etc.  as well as side by side photos, sizing information and other comparisons and information.

• My Comparisons of all the cups I've tried - I've personally tried Diva, Keeper, Lunette, Mooncup (UK) and reported on them... giving them a rating.

• FAQ - As it suggests, some commonly asked questions about the cups.

• Folding - Information, including links to photos, of ways to fold the cups

• Tips and Help - Some collected tips and things to help new users

• Links - Links to other webpages about cups, and also user groups.

• Keeper/Moon Cup Blacklist - Details on the Blacklisting I have placed on the Keeper Inc.

• My Lunette Experiences - My experiences with a cup, with pictures of what a filled cup looks like.

• Toxic Shock Syndrome - Some information on TSS and Menstrual Cups & Tampons

• History of Menstrual Cups - Some interesting background info on early cups.

• Menstrual Cups in Australia - Explaining why you can't buy the cups in Aus.

• Advocacy Flyer - Downloadable, printable pamphlets/brochures to hand out

• Menstrual Cup Icons - Pictures to use as Avatars/Icons for things like Live journal.

Keeper Inc. Blacklisting
Why have I listed 2 cups with the same name? and why is the Keeper "blacklisted"?

In 2006, The Keeper Inc. brought out a silicone cup called "Moon Cup" or "Mooncup" (depending on which website you look at) which is the same name as an existing silicone cup "Mooncup", made in the UK since 2000.

I consider the use of a name that was already in use by another silicone cup manufacturer to be unethical business practice and therefore The Keeper Inc. has been blacklisted by this website.  Which means that while information on the products from that company will continue to be given here, it is certainly not a product that is endorsed by me, and information on this situation is provided to help customers get a better understanding of a company they may be dealing with.

I stress that this blacklisting is a personal opinion and stance taken on this website... and has nothing to do with their products at all - it is because of their decision to name their Silicone cup "Moon Cup".

Why have I done that?  (read more details on why here).... I feel it is important for consumers to know that I personally do not endorse any company that is willing to confuse customers by knowingly bringing out a product with the same name as another already on the market.  I don't consider it to be an ethical way to do business, and  I know that it has caused some customers to unknowingly purchase the Keeper's version when they believed they were buying the UK Mooncup.  However, as this is an information site, and I have nothing against their actual products, I have still kept all information listed, and will continue to do so, as it is afterall, as I said, an information site and I am not trying to prevent anyone purchasing a Keeper or Keeper's "Moon Cup" should they wish to. (Again, I have nothing against the company or products other than this naming issue).  By marking them as blacklisted I am stating my personal opinion on the matter, and making it clear that this website does not endorse them as a company, but still providing visitors to this site all the information that I have on the product,as it is their right to choose.

I support the idea that should the Keeper's Moon Cup, in an act of good will, be renamed into something else, then everyone would be happy and less confused.  If that was to happen, they would be un-blacklisted from this site, and applauded for their willingness to do the "right" thing.  However given that they have done nothing as of yet, I assume they will be remaining blacklisted here forver.