Vagina Cup
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Vagina Cup
Medically Reviewed by Traci C. Johnson, MD on April 19, 2021
There’s a lot of buzz about this eco-friendly alternative to pads and tampons. But what exactly is a menstrual cup ?
The small, flexible cup is made of silicone or latex rubber. Instead of absorbing your flow, like a tampon or pad, it catches and collects it.
Just before your period begins, tightly fold the menstrual cup and insert it like a tampon without an applicator. Used correctly, you shouldn’t feel it. It’s similar to putting a diaphragm or birth control ring in place.
Your cup will spring open (you may need to rotate it first) and rest against the walls of your vagina . It forms a seal to prevent leaks. The blood then simply drips into the cup.
Some types are disposable, but most are reusable. To remove it, you pull the stem sticking out the bottom and pinch the base to release the seal. Then you just empty, wash with soap and water, and replace. At the end of your cycle, you can sterilize your cup in boiling water.
Like any other product for your period, you can buy them online or over the counter at grocery and drugstores.
Menstrual cups have actually been around since the 1930s, but America was slow to catch on. The first menstrual cup for U.S. use was manufactured in 1987. Since then, there have been several others produced, manufactured from different substances ranging from rubber to silicone.
It’s eco- and wallet-friendly. A reusable cup that costs $30 to $40 can last up to 10 years. That means less waste in landfills and less money over time. These benefits don’t apply to disposable brands though.
You can leave it in for 12 hours. Tampons need to be changed every 4 to 8 hours, depending on your flow. But cups can stay in longer, so they’re good for overnight protection. And once you get the hang of inserting it, there’s no need to wear a backup pad or liner.
It holds more. A menstrual cup can hold 1 ounce of liquid, roughly twice the amount of a super-absorbent tampon or pad. The difference can be a comfort on your heavy flow days.
You can have mess-free sex. Most silicone and rubber menstrual cups must be removed before sex . But the soft, disposable ones are designed with sex in mind. They look like a diaphragm, so they’re shaped like a dome (not like the usual bell). Your partner can’t feel them, and there’s no blood to worry about.
There’s less odor. Menstrual blood can start to smell when it’s exposed to air. But your cup forms an airtight seal.
It can be tough to find the right fit. Cups come in different sizes depending on your age, flow, and whether you’ve had a child. Still, finding the perfect fit can be a challenge, more so if you have a tilted uterus or low cervix . It can take some trial and error, and you could have leaks in the meantime.
Removal can get messy -- or embarrassing. Even if you find it easy to insert the cup, removing it can be tricky. In a sit or squat, you need to use your pelvic floor muscles to push the cup down, then reach up and grab the stem. Pinch the base to break the seal and angle the cup slightly back to keep it from spilling.
And if you’re in public, keep in mind you’ll need to wash out the cup in the restroom sink. (As an alternative, one manufacturer suggests bringing a bottle of water with you into the stall and rinsing it out, then wiping clean with toilet paper.)
It could interfere with an IUD. Some manufacturers don’t recommend using a menstrual cup if you have an intrauterine device (IUD) inserted, as there’s a chance the cup could pull on the string or dislodge it. But a 2012 study found no evidence of this. Still, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor before combining the two.
Cleveland Clinic: “Tired of Tampons? Here Are Pros and Cons of Menstrual Cups.”
North, B. Journal of Women’s Health , February 2011.
Howard, C. Canadian Family Physician , June 2011.
Wiebe, ER. Conception , August 2012.
Healthy Women: “Tampons, Pads, or Menstrual Cups? What’s Right for You?”
Parent Guide: “Best Menstrual Cup for You: The Definitive Guide.”
Kickstarter: “The Menstrual Cup, Reinvented.”
Columbia Health: “The Ins and Outs of Menstrual Cups -- How Do They Differ From Tampons and Pads?”
The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide, February 2011.
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Most Comfortable:
The Honey Pot Menstrual Cup
Best for Beginners:
Intimina Lily Menstrual Cup One
Best for Low Cervixes:
Intimina Ziggy Cup
Best Disposable:
Flex Disposable Menstrual Discs
Best for Heavy Flows:
Super Jennie Menstrual Cup
Best for High Cervixes:
Saalt Menstrual Cup
Best Post-Pregnancy:
DivaCup Menstrual Cup Model 2
How do I know what size cup to buy?
Are menstrual cups safer than tampons?
What's the difference between a menstrual disc and a menstrual cup?
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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If you’re still relying on uncomfortable maxi pads or disposable tampons to get you through your period, you may want to try an environmentally friendly alternative: the menstrual cup. Alexis May Kimble, DO , urogynecologist at The Kimble Center in Pasadena, California, explains that menstrual cups can be safely inserted for longer than tampons , requiring fewer trips to the bathroom, and are typically made from medical-grade silicone, so it’s totally fine to put them in one of your body’s most sensitive areas.
The Lena Menstrual Cup is flexible and secure, keeping you comfortable with up to 12 hours of protection, which is why it's our top choice. Intimina's Lily Cup One comes in a smaller size for first-time users.
You should do a bit of research on menstrual cups—and your own body—before trying to find the right one for you, explains Alessandra Taylor, MD , OB-GYN with Austin Regional Clinic in Austin, Texas. It’s important to consider shape and size, as we mentioned, but also how much menstrual blood the cup can hold, how easy it is for you to insert it, and how comfortably it fits you once it’s in place. We researched more than a dozen menstrual cups and evaluated them based on their materials, ease of use, wear times, reservoir sizes, and price.
Here are the best menstrual cups on the market today.
Available in two sizes and four color options
Who else recommends it? The Strategist and Insider both picked the Lena Menstrual Cup. 1 2
What do buyers say? 83% of 20,400+ Amazon reviewers rated this product 4 stars or above.
Sometimes simple is better, which is why the Lena Menstrual Cup is our top choice. This cup is bell-shaped, and angled airflow holes are designed to slide easily into place and create strong suction to avoid slippage or leakage (but not so strong that the cup isn’t comfortable to wear for 12 hours in a row).
The Lena Cup comes in two sizes, small and large, making the overall fit and sizing of the cup one that should work for the majority of users. It comes in four different colors—from discreet gray to eye-popping turquoise—and they’re all made from medical-grade silicone for safety. The Lena Cup is a no-fuss, easy-to-use, flexible option you can rely on no matter how heavy or light your flow, making it perfect for regular usage.
Material: Medical-grade silicone | Wear Time: Up to 12 hours | Sizes Available: Small / large | Reservoir Size: 25 mL / 30 mL
Soft silicone may lead to minor leakage
The Honey Pot Menstrual Cup is not only one of the most comfortable picks on this list, but it's also made from a BIPOC-owned brand and prioritizes sustainability. The Honey Pot cup comes in two sizes like many other cups, is made from medical-grade silicone, and can hold 25 or 30 mL of menstrual blood, depending on the size you choose.
The cup’s silicone material is slightly softer than some other cups, which makes it easy to fold and insert. It's perfect for menstrual cup novices, as it fits comfortably in the vagina and provides 12 hours of protection.
Material: Medical-grade silicone | Wear Time: Up to 12 hours | Sizes Available: Small / large | Reservoir Size: 25 mL / 30 mL
Has a loop, not a stem, for removal
If you’ve never used a cup before, the Intimina Lily Menstrual Cup One makes the learning curve a bit smoother. Its slimmer size and removal loop make it easier to insert and remove than the average cup, while the collapsible silicone simplifies its portability.
Even at its smaller size, the Intimina Lily can hold 21 mL of blood, which might be just the right amount for teens or users with a light flow . Because it’s smaller, you should aim to empty the cup every 8 hours instead of every 12, and you may want to wear a backup mini pad until you really get the hang of it.
Material: Medical-grade silicone | Wear Time: Up to 8 hours | Sizes Available: One size | Reservoir Size: 21 mL
According to Dr. Taylor, the height of the cervix (i.e., how much room there is in your vagina before you reach the cervix) pretty commonly varies from person to person and isn’t something to worry too much about. “The vagina is very adaptable and will mold to the cup as needed, holding the cervix higher when placed correctly,” she says.
The exception? People with a diagnosis of pelvic prolapse , which is a condition that can cause the cervix to lower to an uncomfortable level. If you’ve been diagnosed with pelvic prolapse or have been unable to find a cup that fits fully inside your vagina without pressing against your cervix, you might have better luck with the Intimina Ziggy Cup.
It only comes in one size, but it holds 76 mL of blood and is designed with a shallower, flatter shape that allows it to fit comfortably in the vagina even when the cervix sits lower than average, like in the case of prolapse. Dr. Kimble says that you should see your OB-GYN if you think you may have pelvic prolapse.
Material: Medical-grade silicone | Wear Time: Up to 12 hours | Sizes Available: One size | Reservoir Size: 76 mL
Holds as much blood as a regular cup
Creates more waste than reusable cups
If you're traveling, you need a menstrual cup that's disposable, one that can be tossed and replaced with something fresh. Unfortunately, disposable menstrual cups aren’t a thing yet, but the Flex Disposable Period Discs function like a cup: you fold it, insert it, and then sit back, letting it collect your menstrual blood for 12 hours just like a regular cup.
While it is disposable and isn't totally waste-free, it does hold more blood than a tampon would, allowing you to wear it longer and change it less frequently (i.e., creating less waste).
Material: Medical-grade plastic polymers | Wear Time: Up to 12 hours | Sizes Available: One size | Reservoir Size: 30 mL
Holds more than the average large cup
Maybe you’ve always had a heavy menstrual flow , or maybe you’ve had a couple of kids, and a standard large-size cup needs to be changed more frequently to accommodate your flow. Whatever the reason, the large size of the Super Jennie Menstrual Cup can hold almost 42 mL of blood (and the small size is larger than average, too, holding 32 mL).
That means you’re more likely to get a full 12 hours of wear out of your large Super Jennie since it holds roughly 10 mL more than most other large cups. What we love about the Super Jennie is that it doesn’t let its large size get in the way of your comfort: It still inserts easily, fits comfortably, and creates a strong suction to prevent leaks.
Material: Medical-grade silicone | Wear Time: Up to 12 hours | Sizes Available: Small / large | Reservoir Size: 32 mL / 42 mL
May feel like the insertion is too high
If you have a higher-than-average cervix, it might not be that hard to find a cup that fits you well , but it could be a little tricky getting that cup back out again. All cups have some kind of loop or stem for removal—you need something to grab onto, after all—but the Saalt cup has a slightly longer stem that ensures your cup will still be easy to remove, even if you have a higher cervix or a longer vagina.
We also like that the Saalt cup keeps users in mind its sizing options, offering teen, small, and regular sizes, so literally anyone with a higher cervix (which is pretty common pre-childbirth) can benefit from their design. Otherwise, Saalt checks all the important boxes: It’s made from medical-grade silicone, comes in a couple of colors, and lasts up to 12 hours. And if you find that the Saalt stem is a little too long for your liking, you can safely trim it with a clean pair of scissors for a more customized fit.
Material: Medical-grade silicone | Wear Time: Up to 12 hours | Sizes Available: Teen / small / regular | Reservoir Size: 15 mL / 25 mL / 30 mL
If buying online, knockoffs are common
If you’ve tried a lot of different menstrual cups and been less than thrilled with the outcome, it might be time to give the original a try. The DivaCup was one of the first cups to be talked about publicly, converting many a menstruating person over to the world of cups when it first hit the market 15 years ago.
Since then, DivaCup has grown and expanded its options, now offering three sizes—and the largest size, the Model 2, is perfect for postpartum.
After childbirth, your period changes in a lot of different ways, and many people find themselves with a heavier flow than they’re used to. If this sounds like you, it might be time to upgrade your cup to the Model 2, which holds 32 mL of blood without sacrificing any of the usual DivaCup comforts: You still get medical-grade silicone, 12 hours of protection, and security against leaks and spills. You just get it in a slightly larger package that’s made with post-childbirth periods in mind.
Material: Medical-grade silicone | Wear Time: Up to 12 hours | Sizes Available: Model 0, Model 1, Model 2 | Reservoir Size: 20 mL / 30 mL / 32 mL
The Lena Menstrual Cup is the gold standard of menstrual cups: It’s firm enough to stay in place but flexible enough for comfort. For true beginners, we like the style and ease of use of Intimina’s Lily Cup One , which comes in a petite shape for teens new to their period or anyone looking to make the switch from tampons for the first time.
When selecting menstrual cups, we spoke with three gynecologists and spent hours combing the web for the best and most effective products. After taking all of our options into consideration, we determined which to feature based on a few key criteria as recommended by the experts: material, reservoir size, wear time, comfort level, fit, and ease of use.
Once we narrowed our options, we compared each cup's benefits to its price tag. While some choices on our list may be more expensive, we wanted to give a wide range of options that would fit all needs and budgets. Based on all of these factors, we compiled this list of the best menstrual cups.
This is one of the most important things to consider before choosing a menstrual cup. Many cups are offered in two different sizes, with the smaller size intended for younger people and the larger size intended for older people (though whether or not you’ve given birth before also plays a role here).
“A lot of cup manufacturers have different sizes for younger women versus older women or women who’ve had babies,” says Dr. Taylor. “After you give birth, your vagina is more elastic, and you may need a bigger cup [to prevent] leakage after having a baby.”
Menstrual cup manufacturers that offer two sizes usually suggest teens, younger people, and people who have never given birth select their smaller size, while people who have given birth and people over the age of 35 should choose their larger size. Still, make sure you read up on sizing for the specific cup you’re purchasing in case the criteria are different.
No matter how carefully you choose a cup for yourself or how many glowing reviews it has online, some cups just won’t feel comfortable. Every person’s anatomy and menstruation are unique , and it’s not uncommon to dislike the way a certain cup feels once it’s inserted, even if it’s technically the right size, shape, and fit.
However, many instances of discomfort can be resolved with some basic troubleshooting.
“The most common cause of discomfort is improper placement,” says Dr. Taylor. “If it’s touching t
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