Facts

Period poverty is the inability to afford menstrual products and inadequate access to proper menstrual hygiene, remains an alarming issue affecting women and individuals who menstruate in the United States.

People that experience period poverty, can have detrimental effects on their physical, emotional, and economic well-being. 

• According to a survey by the Free the Tampons organization, nearly two-thirds of low-income women in the US struggle to afford menstrual hygiene products.
• 46% of low-income women reported being unable to purchase both food and menstrual hygiene products in the past year according to a study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
• In 2019 study by Plan International USA found that 1 in 5 girls the United States had either left school early or missed school due to a lack of access to menstrual supplies. 

By prioritizing menstrual equity and advocating for access to affordable and accessible menstrual products, we can work effectively towards supporting menstrual equity.  

 

References:

Free the Tampons. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://freetampons.org/

Chisholm-Stockard, S., et al. (2019). Cost of Menstrual Hygiene Products for Low-Income Women. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 133(3), 547-553.

Plan International USA. (2019). The State of the Period: A study on menstrual hygiene management in the United States.