Sanitary pad saga: Between viral claims and the facts
By Osordi Ayomide
In the past few weeks, controversies surrounding some locally produced sanitary pad brands in Nigeria have dominated social media conversations, with many women sharing experiences they associate with the use of certain products. Some have alleged changes in their menstrual flow, the number of days their periods last, while others have reported physical reactions after using the products.
The concern has grown even further as more women have joined the conversation, particularly in the comment sections, claiming to have experienced similar changes. What began as individual experiences has gradually taken the shape of a much broader claim that certain sanitary pads may be responsible for changes in women’s menstrual cycles.
Naturally, the reports have attracted attention. Some women have even advised others to order sanitary pads from international e-commerce platforms rather than patronise locally produced brands. The concerns should not simply be waved aside because menstruation is a deeply personal aspect of women’s health, and when a woman notices something unusual about her body, it is only natural for her to seek an explanation.
There is nothing wrong with a woman saying, “I used this product and noticed something different.” Her experience is valid as an experience, even when the cause has not been scientifically established. But there is an important difference between reporting an experience and establishing causation. The fact that one event happens after another does not, by itself, prove that the first caused the second.
A closer look at some of the experiences being shared online also raises questions that deserve answers. While one woman claims that using a particular pad reduced her menstrual period from four days to two, another says hers increased from four days to six. Such conflicting experiences do not necessarily prove that the complaints are false, but they should make us cautious about drawing a single conclusion from them. Several factors can influence menstrual patterns, including changes in diet, stress, age, weight, illness, medication and the use or discontinuation of hormonal contraceptives. These factors can affect the timing, duration and amount of menstrual bleeding.
The menstrual cycle is not a machine programmed to produce exactly the same result every month. Hormonal changes, physical and emotional stress, lifestyle changes and certain health conditions can all affect what a woman experiences from one cycle to another. Sexually transmitted infections and other reproductive-health conditions can also contribute to abnormal bleeding in some cases. Therefore, when a woman experiences a shorter, longer, heavier or lighter period, a sanitary pad should not automatically become the first and only suspect.
This, however, should not be interpreted as saying that sanitary pads cannot cause adverse reactions. They can. A woman may experience skin irritation, itching, discomfort or an allergic reaction to certain materials, fragrances or other components used in menstrual products. If several consumers are independently reporting similar physical reactions after using the same product, that is a legitimate consumer-safety concern and should be properly investigated.
But claims that go beyond irritation and suggest that a sanitary pad is altering hormones or determining how long or how heavily a woman menstruates require much stronger evidence. It is one thing to say, “This happened after I used this product.” It is another to establish scientifically that the product caused it.
Unfortunately, social media does not always give us the patience required to make that distinction. Today, almost anyone can publish a piece, share an experience or make a health-related claim on a personal page. Before long, a personal testimony becomes a warning, the warning becomes a claim, and after being repeated enough times, the claim begins to look like established fact.
By then, the damage may already have been done. A company’s reputation can be affected, consumers can become unnecessarily frightened and a product can be condemned publicly before any independent laboratory examination has established what is actually wrong with it. This does not mean businesses should be protected from legitimate scrutiny. It simply means that scrutiny should be guided by evidence.
If a manufacturer has produced or sold an unsafe product, consumers have every right to know, and the company must be held accountable. But accountability should follow evidence, not replace it. At the same time, consumers who raise complaints should not be dismissed simply because their experiences were first shared on social media.
What is needed now is a thorough and independent investigation. Regulatory authorities responsible for consumer and public-health protection should take the complaints seriously by obtaining samples of the products in question and subjecting them to appropriate laboratory and safety assessments. If there are substances or materials capable of causing harm, Nigerians deserve to know. If the products meet the required safety standards and there is no scientific evidence linking them to the alleged menstrual changes, consumers deserve to know that as well.
Manufacturers also have a responsibility to be transparent about the materials used in their products and to respond responsibly when legitimate safety concerns are raised. Consumers, on their part, should be encouraged to report suspected adverse reactions through the appropriate channels rather than allowing social media comment sections to become the final court on matters of public health.
For women, the safest approach is neither panic nor complacency. Pay attention to your body and keep track of your menstrual dates, flow and any unusual symptoms. If a particular product consistently causes irritation or discomfort, discontinue its use and seek appropriate medical advice. Where there are persistent or unusual changes in menstrual patterns, a qualified healthcare professional should be consulted rather than relying solely on explanations found online.
There is a bigger lesson in this sanitary pad saga. Nigerians deserve safe and reliable products, but we also deserve reliable information. We should be able to question manufacturers without destroying businesses on the basis of unverified allegations. We should also be able to listen to women’s experiences without automatically turning every personal experience into a medical fact.
The complaints should not be ignored, but neither should they become the evidence by which the case is decided. Let the regulators investigate. Let medical professionals examine the claims. Let manufacturers answer legitimate questions about their products. And let laboratory findings, rather than social-media popularity, determine what Nigerians should believe.
When it comes to health, we need neither blind dismissal nor blind acceptance. We need evidence.