Menstrual pads

NatraCare tampons and menstrual pads are entirely made of organic and natural materials. The brand is available in natural stores and also online, at www.alyahs.com, for example. Visit www.natracare.com for more information on the products themselves. You can also purchase washable organic cotton menstrual pads at www.hankettes. com and http //manymoonsalternadves. com. Also see entry 371. 

Differential diagnoses include diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome because patients with these conditions share several similar characteristics with Cushing s syndrome patients (e.g., obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance). In women, the presentations of hirsutism, menstrual abnormalities, and insulin resistance are similar to those of polycystic ovary syndrome. Cushing s syndrome can be differentiated from these conditions by identifying the classic signs and symptoms of truncal obesity, "moon faces" with facial plethora, a "buffalo hump" and supraclavicular fat pads, red-purple skin striae, and proximal muscle weakness. 

A 50-year old woman with hypertension and diabetes comes into your clinic seeking advice about which incontinence pads work best. After questioning her, you determine that she has multiple issues of low volume urine loss daily, which is a significant change (increase) from 1 year ago. All episodes occur at times of physical activity. She s a single mother of three grown children, all delivered vaginally. Her last menstrual period was 11 months ago. 

Nine healthy women agreed to wear cotton pads under their arms for 8 hours a day at various points in their menstrual cycles. These pads were then cut into sections and treated with alcohol in an effort to dissolve volatile substances. The alcohol extracts were then wiped under the noses of 20 other women every day for a month. These women reported that they could smell nothing except the alcohol. 

In a later experiment, two pheromones from axillary odor of young women influenced the estrus cycle of other women (Stern and McClintock, 1998). Armpit secretion that appears odorless to humans was applied daily between the upper lip and nose of healthy young women and had two opposite effects depending on the menstrual phase of the odor donors. Secretion from nine donor women, collected on pads in their armpits during the follicular phase of their cycles... 

Numerous studies with humans have examined the perception of odors collected on T-shirts and pads from the upper part of the body and the axillae (Russell, 1976 Doty, et al., 1978 Schleidt, 1980 Schleidt, et al., 1981). These odors allow individuals to identify their own smell as well as that of their spouse and close kin (Porter Moore, 1981 Cer-noch Porter, 1985 Porter, et al., 1986 Hepper, 1988). Analytical studies of axillary secretions collected from women across the menstrual cycle suggest changes in the ratios of both the odor-producing bacteria (Reilly, et al., 1996) and odorants (Preti, et al., 1987 Reilly, et al., 1996). These studies suggest that chemical cues from the axillae contain sufficient differences in the concentration of odorants to allow for discrimination of individuals and phase in the menstrual cycle in female subjects. 

Feminine hygiene is a general term used to describe personal care products used by women during menstruation, vaginal discharge, and other bodily functions related to the vulva. Sanitary towels (also known as maxi-pads or napkins), pantyliners, tampons, menstrual cups, and feminine wipes are the major categories of feminine hygiene... 

Disposable absorbent products for feminine hygiene during menstruation are an important part of life for millions of women. During her lifetime the average woman will have approximately 13 cycles each year for about 37 years, and will spend more than 6 years of that period menstruating. Menstrual flow varies with age, number of children, and use of hormones or intrauterine devices, and typically is heaviest during the second and third days of each period. Many types of products, such as tampons, panty liners, and pads, are used during this period. 

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