Assessment of menstrual material needs as a measure of health and menstrual equity in the postpartum period

Objective

To evaluate lochia management needs in a diverse cohort of postpartum individuals admitted for delivery at two large urban hospitals in the United States and to assess the association between immigration and menstrual needs.

Methods

English- or Spanish-speaking individuals delivering a live-born infant were recruited in this cross-sectional study via convenience sampling. We modified the Menstrual Practice Needs Scale to evaluate participant menstrual practices, menstrual poverty, preparedness for postpartum lochia, and experiences discussing menstrual material access with their healthcare team.

Results

There were 123 participants, 60 of whom were immigrants. Twenty-seven women (22 %) experienced menstrual poverty, and 10 were unsure if they had adequate materials to manage lochia. Women with an annual household income at or below the poverty level (p = 0.0004) or who had moved (p = 0.009) or experienced food insecurity (p < 0.0001) in the last year were more likely to have experienced menstrual poverty than those who had not. Half of participants never received lochia counseling. Only 15 women (12 %) had been asked by a healthcare member whether they had enough menstrual materials, but over a third wanted to discuss how to obtain them. The majority of women wanted to receive lochia management materials from their prenatal clinic and from the hospital.

Conclusions

Despite a high rate of menstrual poverty, women were rarely asked about access to menstrual supplies. These women want to discuss how to acquire menstrual materials with their healthcare team. Standardized screening and discussions about postpartum lochia may help to reduce postpartum menstrual poverty.