Technology Meets Menstruation: The Next Generation of Period Products Are Infused With Tech

Welcome to POPSUGAR Uninhibited, a space where anyone with a period can come for advice, recommendations and support. Here, we’ll tackle topics like PMS, sustainability, post-partum periods and bring you first-person experiences in our period diaries. We also want to raise awareness around period poverty, with the aim to ignite change with the help of our launch partner Modibodi and charity partner Share the Dignity. You can find all of the stories here. 

The advancement in the world of period products has been swift in recent years. If you think about the options on the market a decade or so ago, it was basically just pads and tampons. These days, we have so many more options including period undies and menstrual cups.

In recent times, we’ve seen an influx of products infused with technology hit the market, designed to help you deal with your period. The combination of technology and period products might not seem like a big deal but considering how underresearched this area is, with little energy and money put into research about menstruation, it’s a big step.

Below, we’ve curated some of the newest technological products on the menstrual market. These products help you deal with your period more effectively, are able to track your cycle and can even lessen the pain you may experience due to period cramping.

Ovira

Australian company Ovira is passionate about relieving painful periods, which led to the creation of Noha, a device that uses Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) technology to treat pain. It works by overloading your nervous system, which in turn reduces its ability to transmit pain signals to the brain.

If your brain isn’t receiving the signals, you won’t experience the pain. It’s that simple! Ovira’s Noha device is small and can be worn at home or hidden in clothes while you’re out and about. Simply pop the round pads, or ‘Love Handles’ as Ovira calls them, onto your stomach or your back and turn the device on. You’ll experience some light vibrations on the area as well as instant pain relief.

my.Flow

my.Flow is the world’s first tampon monitor. This clever device allows you to check how full your tampon is through an app — much like you would check the weather! It works like so: You attach the small device to your shorts, pants or underwear, then feed the string from my.Flow’s companion tampons into the device.

my.Flow is small so it can be hidden within your clothing and it connects to your phone via Bluetooth. my.Flow’s tampons don’t contain any batteries or electrics and are the same as regular tampons you would buy at the supermarket, except these ones have a longer tail and medical-grade conductive thread that is no thicker than a human hair. my.Flow’s tampons can also be disposed of in the rubbish bin like any other single-use period product.

The beauty of this product is that it lets you learn more about your body and track your flow easily. You don’t have to worry about leaks as you’re able to see exactly when the tampon needs to be changed. This data is also collected in the app so you can compare your flow over different days. my.Flow is still in development, but you can find out more about it here.

Bellabeat

While there are a number of tracking devices on the market, there is no device designed quite like the Bellabeat Leaf. This wellness tracker is optimised for women and is adjusted to the female body, allowing you to track things like your stress levels and reproductive cycle.

The Leaf also syncs to your phone via an app and here it can provide stats like when you’re ovulating while also reminding you to take the pill each day. It can also be worn on your wrist, as a necklace or clipped to your clothing. We love the versatility!

Nannopad

The Nannopad is a serious innovation in the world of pads. This product works in the same way as a regular sanitary pad does to absorb menstrual blood and discharge, but the Nannopad contains teeny tiny nanoparticles that are designed to help with circulation and menstrual discomfort.

According to Nannocare, the company behind the Nannopad, 75 percent of users aged 19 to 51 have found the product effective for relieving discomfort. This same technology used within the pad is also said to help reduce odour and bacteria within the pad. How clever!

While the Nannopad is currently only shipping within the US, keep an eye on the Nannocare website to stay in the loop for shipping updates. Here’s hoping we can get our hands on these sometime soon!