How Much Can a Menstrual Cup Hold Compared to a Tampon?

How much can a tampon hold?

What size should I use?

Does the size of my vagina matter?

How much can a menstrual cup hold?

Initially, it can be difficult to know which tampon size to use.

Often trial and error is the only way to find one that works for you.

The size of the tampon has nothing to do with the size of your vagina.

Tampon sizes refer to their absorption capacity, i.e. how much blood they can hold.

What Size Should I Use?

If you have a tampon that is too small, it will be filled very rapidly and needs to be changed often.

If your tampon is too large it may hurt to take it out because it’s too dry and hasn’t been totally filled.

Taking out a dry tampon isn’t good for your mucus membranes either, and can lead to injury and infection.

Since people bleed different amounts during different stages of menstruation, you always need at least two sizes of tampons.

And it’s important to use the right size at the right time.

Take a look at the following tables to learn more about available sizes.

How Much Can a Tampon Hold?

A tampon’s absorbency is measured in grams (g).

1 g is often equated to 1 ml (milliliter).

One milliliter is equal to one thousandth or 0.001 of a liter.

In the US, the FDA has established absorbency levels for tampons.

In Europe, the HAPCO group has established its absorbency levels.

There is essentially no difference between them, other than how the information is presented.

Regarding the HAPCO group: The European tampon manufacturers have all gotten together to form a single organization – the HAPCO group (Hygiene Absorbent Producers Committee).

HAPCO group is part of EDANA.

Nonwoven is a type of textile material that is composed of fibers and predominantly used for hygiene articles such as tampons, pads, and diapers.

Image: Nonwovens used in tampons.

Image: Nonwovens used in pads. However, these kitty cat-pads are not necessarily made from nonwovens. 🐱

Image: Nonwovens used in diapers.

Tables: Absorbency of tampons

Table 1: Absorbency of Tampons, EDANA (Europe)

Table 2: Absorbency of Tampons, FDA (USA)

Light / 1 Drop is for the last days of menstruation when menstrual flow is minimal.

Many people find Regular / 2 Drops sufficient for most menstruation days.

Super / 3 Drops have somewhat higher absorbency than Regular / 2 Drops which some
people require during the first few days when they have a heavier flow.

Some people may require Super Plus / 4 Drops if they experience very heavy flow at the
beginning of their menstruation.

Most people never need to use Ultra / 5 Drops.

There are even tampons that can absorb more than 18 grams (Term N/A / 6 Drops).

If you experience very heavy flow, these may be an alternative.

But ask your doctor first to ensure that this is the right choice for you.

Image: Absorbency listed on tampon packaging.

Image: Absorbency listed on tampon packaging.

Comparison of 7 Different Tampons and Their Absorbency

Here’s a worthwhile clip of comparison between 7 different tampon brands and their absorbency.

A second test in the same video demonstrates how two different tampons leave behind different amounts of fiber after being submerged in water; particles your vagina would be better off without.

Syngyna Test

All tampon manufacturers must abide by a so-called Syngyna Test to confirm how much their tampons can absorb, measured in grams.

TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome)

TSS is a very rare bacterial illness that can be caused by tampon use.

The risk of TSS goes up when the tampon remains in for longer.

To minimize the risk of TSS, you should make sure to change your tampon at least every 4 to 8 hours.

If you tend to sleep longer than 8 hours, you should avoid sleeping with a tampon in.

How Much Can a Menstrual Cup Hold?

Image: Measuring marks/capacity indicators on a menstrual cup.

There are many advantages to using the menstrual cup.

I won’t go into all of those now as we’ve already published a long article about that topic in a previous blog post.

Well, one point that’s hard to avoid, since it’s part and parcel with tampon use is dry and irritated mucous
membranes.

This problem is avoided by switching to a menstrual cup.

OrganiCup answer the capacity question with the following explanation:

OrganiCup holds a volume of blood equivalent to up to 3 large, blood-filled tampons.

An average person bleeds at a rate of 3-4 tablespoons per period.

I like that they use terms like blood-filled tampons and tablespoons which are easy to relate to.

But it’s best to remember that this is probably based on their own statistics and likely apply only to the most common flows of menstruation.

So if you experience heavier than average flow, for example, you should give yourself some extra breathing room, or bleeding room, that is.

Want to know exactly how much a menstrual cup holds measured in milliliters?

Visit our menstrual cup database.

There we have lots of menstrual cups with ml provided for most of them.

Image: menstrualcup.eco database, homepage.

Image: menstrualcup.eco database, search, and filter.

Image: menstrualcup.eco database, menstrual cup comparison chart.

Sources

https://se.lunette.com (image)
https://xleiax.wordpress.com/2016/07/18/kitty-kat-cloth-bindor-i-form-av-katter (image)
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/news/a43348/tampon-disposal (image)
https://www.libero.se/blojor-byxblojor-och-babyvard/newborn/ (image)
https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tampong
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?FR=801.430
https://www.edana.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/tampons-code-of-practice-(english).pdf
https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-do-tampon-absorbency-ratings-mean-2721890
https://www.1177.se/Skane/Fakta-och-rad/Sjukdomar/Riklig-mens
https://www.1177.se/Skane/Fakta-och-rad/Sjukdomar/Toxic-shock-syndrome-TSS-tampongsjuka
https://www.organicup.com/how-to-use-a-menstrual-cup/

Rose Desrosiers

4 years ago  9 min