New this week: "Spermatorrhea," from Dr. R. V. Pierce's The People's Common Sense Medical Adviser in Plain English; or, Medicine Simplified (U.S.A., 1895) - menstrual humor - menstrual products safety

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It's Too Late to Call Your Congressman About the Proposed Tampon Safety and Research Act! Congress Had More Important ;-) Things To Do! Here's How and Why for Next Time.


Letters to Your MUM

Are There Cases of Toxic Shock Associated With The Keeper Menstrual Cup? and All-Cotton Products are Best.

Last week I printed a message from Dr. Philip Tierno about the new Keeper menstrual cup and a test for toxic shock susceptibility. By the way, I personally know of no toxic shock cases related to The Keeper. (See also Menstrual Product Safety for information on asbestos, viscose rayon and dioxin.) A new Keeper user writes:

Hi,

I just discovered your Web site as I searched for info on the Keeper. I ordered one recently but haven't received it yet, so I was looking for info on 1) ease of insertion, since I have had problems inserting non-applicator tampons in the past; and 2) TSS [toxic shock syndrome] risks associated with it, if any, since their Web site at http://www.keeper.com is very vague about that subject. The reviews are so mixed on #1 that I'll have to reserve judgment until I've tried it, I guess!

But on the second issue, the TSS risks, I saw your page on the new vs. the old Keeper. From that I assume that I'll probably receive the old version, since the new one doesn't appear to be on the market yet. Assuming that's the case, have any tests been done to determine the TSS risks associated with the old Keeper? [Dr. Tierno - see letter below - tested the old Keeper, because he compares it unfavorably with the new one in his first letter.] I didn't see any info on your pages regarding TSS and the old Keeper, only the newer one. I did see the note on the comments page saying that no TSS cases have been associated with the Keeper (by which I assume you mean either old or new), but are there any scientific studies to back that up?

Here is Dr. Tierno's reply:

Dear Harry,

"The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence." Therefore not hearing about any case associated with the Keeper doesn't mean much. The Harvard student is wasting her time. [This student volunteered to search for cases of toxic shock and The Keeper in the medical literature. She found none.] Since the USAGE of the Keeper pales in comparison to tampons you are not likely to discover cases (because of statistics), if any, for a long time. However I would say that only the NEWER version of the rubber Keeper (which is not yet marketed and also needs some improvement), which allows for less adherence of staphylococcus aureus, is safer than most rayon tampons but not as safe as all-cotton products. The elastomeric polymer of the old Tassaway cups were better than the newer Keeper also.

Best regards,

Phil


Other Letters and News Will Appear Next Week


Do You Have Irregular Menses?

If so, you may have polycystic ovary syndrome.

Jane Newman, Clinical Research Coordinator at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard University School of Medicine, asked me to tell you that

Irregular menses identify women at high risk for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which exists in 6-10% of women of reproductive age. PCOS is a major cause of infertility and is linked to diabetes.

Learn more about current research on PCOS at Brigham and Women's Hospital, the University of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania State University - or contact Jane Newman.

If you have fewer than six periods a year, you may be eligible to participate in the study!

See more medical and scientific information about menstruation.


New this week: "Spermatorrhea," from Dr. R.V. Pierce's The People's Common Sense Medical Adviser in Plain English; or, Medicine Simplified (U.S.A., 1895) - menstrual humor - menstrual products safety

DIRECTORY OF ALL TOPICS

PREVIOUS NEWS | news | first page | contact the museum | art of menstruation | artists (non-menstrual) | belts | bidets | Bly, Nellie | MUM board | books (and reviews) | cats | company booklets directory | costumes | cups | cup usage | dispensers | douches, pain, sprays | essay directory | extraction | famous people | FAQ | humor | huts | links | media | miscellaneous | museum future | Norwegian menstruation exhibit | odor | pad directory | patent medicine | poetry directory | products, current | religion | menstrual products safety | science | shame | sponges | synchrony | tampon directory | early tampons | teen ads directory | tour (video) | underpants directory | videos, films directory | washable pads | LIST OF ALL TOPICS

Take a short tour of MUM! (and on Web video!) - FAQ - Future of this museum - Tampon Safety Act - Visit or contact the actual museum - Board of Directors - Norwegian menstruation exhibit - The media and the MUM - Menstrual odor - Prof. Mack C. Padd: Fat Cat - The science and medicine of menstruation - Early tampons - Books about menstruation - Menstrual cups: history, comments - A Note from Germany/Neues aus Deutschland und Europa - Letters - Links

© 1998 Harry Finley. It is illegal to reproduce or distribute work on this Web site in any manner or medium without written permission of the author. Please report suspected violations to hfinley@mum.org