Gynaecologists Raise Alarm Over Bad Sanitary Pads, Warn Women of Possible Health Risks!

Health experts have raised concerns over the use of poor-quality or unhygienic sanitary materials, warning women and girls that inappropriate menstrual products can contribute to skin irritation, discomfort and infections.

The concern extends beyond commercially produced sanitary pads to improvised materials such as tissue paper, cotton wool and pieces of cloth, which some women use when sanitary products are unavailable or too expensive.

A recent systematic review published in International Health found that disposable sanitary pads remain the preferred menstrual product across several West African settings, but access is still uneven. The review identified tissue paper, cotton wool, cloth and other improvised materials among alternatives used by women and girls, particularly where commercial products are unaffordable.

Research in Nigeria has similarly documented the practice. A study published in Tropical Medicine & International Health found that 67.1 per cent of schoolgirls surveyed in Badagry, Lagos State, used sanitary napkins, while others relied on tissue paper, clothes and cotton wool. The researchers found that the high cost of mainstream sanitary products was one of the major reasons some girls turned to alternatives.

In rural Anambra communities, researchers reported that 76.3 per cent of menstruating girls in their study used products classified as unhygienic, including reusable cloth rags, tissue paper and cotton wool. The researchers also identified the cost of commercial sanitary products as an important barrier.

Medical concerns surrounding inappropriate menstrual materials are not entirely new. Nigerian medical researcher Dr Bamidele Iwalokun warned against using tissue paper as a sanitary pad, describing the practice as poor menstrual hygiene. The News Agency of Nigeria also reported his concern that some tissue papers could be unsuitable for use during menstruation.

The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research has also documented concerns surrounding the quality and sterility of some sanitary products. Research presented at the institute’s scientific conference examined sanitary towels and cotton wool obtained from markets in Lagos for microbial contamination, highlighting the importance of quality control in products intended for personal hygiene.

However, health claims surrounding sanitary products need to be presented carefully. It would be inaccurate to suggest that every woman who uses a particular menstrual material will automatically develop an infection or become infertile.

The medical concern is that unhygienic menstrual practices can increase exposure to microorganisms or cause irritation, while serious or repeated reproductive-tract infections can have more significant consequences. Quot gynaecological and medical experts, described how infections associated with unsafe menstrual practices could, when repeated or untreated, contribute to scarring and adhesions affecting fertility.

Research also shows that the problem cannot be separated from period poverty. A systematic review covering Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and The Gambia found that inadequate access to preferred menstrual products remains substantial in some settings, with cost and availability among the factors pushing women and girls towards alternative materials.

This means that telling women simply to avoid poor-quality or improvised products does not address the whole problem. Affordable sanitary products, reliable water supplies, adequate sanitation facilities and accurate menstrual-health education are all necessary for safer menstrual hygiene.

For women who experience persistent irritation, unusual discharge, pelvic pain, fever or other concerning symptoms during or after menstruation, medical professionals recommend seeking appropriate healthcare rather than self-treating the symptoms.

The issue is therefore both a health and social concern. Safe menstrual hygiene depends not only on individual choices but also on whether women and girls can afford and access suitable menstrual products.

Obaland magazine understands that the discussion around sanitary pads must remain factual and evidence-based. Poor-quality or unhygienic menstrual materials can present health concerns, but those risks should not be exaggerated into claims that have not been established by medical evidence. Addressing affordability, product quality and menstrual-health education remains central to protecting women’s health and dignity.

Gynaecologists and health researchers warn about potential health risks associated with poor-quality and unhygienic sanitary products as period poverty continues to affect menstrual hygiene in Nigeria.