There’s been an explosion of environmentally friendly, cost-effective solutions for menstrual bleeding in recent years, with period panties and menstrual cups carving out the largest share of the market — but the menstrual disc checks many of the same boxes, and it has an added benefit that none of the others can claim: it’s the only period product you can wear during penetrative vaginal sex.
A menstrual disc is a flat, flexible disc that collects blood, but unlike a menstrual cup — which sits in the vaginal canal — a menstrual disc is placed just below the cervix in the vaginal fornix, Renee Wellenstein, DO, a board-certified ob-gyn, told POPSUGAR. (You essentially wedge the disc behind your pubic bone.) This leaves the vaginal canal open during sex. “A menstrual disc may also be more comfortable than a menstrual cup, since it is placed at the widest part of the vagina,” she said.
That said, there are things to consider before trying a menstrual disc. Some are disposable, which means they don’t require cleaning, but you’ll need to purchase discs more often than you would a menstrual cup. “Insertion and removal may also be a bit more difficult, since the disc is placed higher in the vagina and it’s ring-shaped,” Dr. Wellenstein explained. If you decide to give it a shot, remember that even though you can have sex while wearing a menstrual disc, it isn’t a form of contraception.