Fact or Fiction: Sanitary Pads Cause Cancer in Bladder & Uterus

Last year, a story entitled “56 girls died because of using Whisper, Stayfree, etc.” was posted and received a lot of hits from around the social media sites. Many women were alarmed as everyone is using sanitary pads each month to protect them from unwanted leaks caused by monthly periods. The report says because of the chemicals used in the napkins, a single pad for the whole day will cause cancer in bladder and uterus. That’s scary!

Story

“Attention !!!

FORWARD AS U RECEIVE:

56 girls died because of using whisper, stayfree, etc.

One Single pad for the whole day because of the chemical used in Ultra Napkins. Which converts liquid into gel. It causes cancer in bladder & uterus.

So please try to use cotton made pads and if you are using ultra pads, Please change that within 5 hours, per day, at least. If the time is prolonged the blood becomes green & the fungus formed gets inside the uterus & body.

Please don’t feel shy to fwd this message to all girls and even boys so that they can share with their wives n friends, whom they care for.

This is a public service message……….. Pass it 2 all the ladies you care for without hesitating. 
Awareness is important Stay safe, healthy and blessed..”

This is a public service msg from Tata Cancer Hospital”

Another version of this account was released recently

Story 2:

“Attention Sisters!!! 

FORWARD AS U RECEIVE: 

56 girls died because of using whisper, stayfree, etc. 

One Single pad for the whole day because of the chemical used in Ultra Napkins. 

Which converts liquid into gel. It causes cancer in bladder & uterus. So please try to use cotton made pads and if you are using ultra pads, Please change that with in 5 hours, per day, at least. 

If the time is prolonged the blood becomes green & the fungus formed gets inside the uterus & body. 

Please don’t feel shy to forward this message to all girls and even boys so that they can share with their wives n friends, whom they care for. 

This is a public service message……….. Pass it 2 all the ladies you care for without hesitating. 
Awareness is important Stay safe, healthy and blessed..”

Notice that in the 1st story, there’s a message at the end post stating, ‘This is a public service msg from Tata Cancer Hospital”. It was removed in the 2nd version.

The Truth

A mix of fact and fiction.

Fact

• Because the manufacturers are not allowed to disclose the ingredients used in the sanitary pads (even in tampons and diapers), this issue alarmed the public across the globe. According to them, these “feminine hygiene products are considered “medical devices””
• The common sanitary napkins are thought to contain crude oil, plastic and other potentially harmful chemicals that are used in odor neutralizers and fragrances. Also, the chemicals used in the absorbent materials of sanitary pads along with the bleaching agents used to make them appear pure are questioned
• There is a facility known as the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, India

Fiction

• No reports were made to validate that 56 girls have died because of using sanitary napkins
• Tata Memorial Hospital professed neither knowing nor endorsing anything about the stated claims.

Message from the Manufacturer

Andrea Donsky, the founder and Editor-in-Chief of NaturallySavvy.com called the Procter & Gamble to inquire of the ingredient used in their “Always Infinity” pads. According to the service representatives, the pads only consist of foam and a patented ingredient called Infinicel. An active component that helps absorb and hold up to 10 times the sanitary napkin’s weight.

Medical Study

Highly-absorbent feminine napkins that contain synthetic materials can block the wetness and temperature. This eventually causes the growth of yeast and bacteria.

Moreover, Dioxin, a byproduct of chlorine-bleaching method, is used in the production of sanitary pads, panty liners, diapers, and tampons. According to study, the effects of Dioxin may dwell in the body for at least 20 years.  This chemical has been listed by the World Health Organization of one of the “dirty dozen – a group of dangerous chemicals as persistent organic pollutants. However, the US Environmental Protection Agency stated

“Although dioxins are found in trace amounts in both cotton and pulp sanitary products, exposure to dioxins through tampons and diapers does not significantly contribute to dioxin exposures in the United States.”

There’s also Furan, another chemical like the Dioxin that is found in sanitary napkins, tampons and diapers.

Korea made a research and study about different feminine pads and tampons around the world and though not all results turned up alike, here are the banned toxic substances they discovered in the products: octachlorinated dioxin (OCDD), hexachlorodibenzofuran (HxCDF) and octa-chlorodibenzofuran (OCDF)

References:

• Sanitary Pad Warning;http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/paddeath.asp
• SANITARY PADS AND TAMPONS CONTAIN CANCER CAUSING CHEMICALS – FACTS ANALYSIS;http://www.hoaxorfact.com/Health/sanitary-pads-and-tampons-contain-cancer-causing-chemicals-facts-analysis.html
• 6 girls died because of using whisper, stayfree, always etc.;https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=437337829732548&set=a.187939824672351.44283.187938474672486&type=1&relevant_count=1