Economic Hardship Pushes Women Towards Baby Diapers for Menstrual Care

A startling trend is gaining traction across urban and rural communities as increasing numbers of women turn to disposable baby diapers as an alternative to conventional sanitary pads amid mounting economic pressures.

Findings by Economy & Lifestyle indicate that the shift is being driven by a combination of financial hardship and growing public anxiety over recent reports concerning the safety of some menstrual hygiene products.

What began as an improvised “life hack” circulating on social media has consequently evolved into a matter of growing public health concern, particularly among women who say the prohibitive cost of sanitary products has left them with increasingly limited options.

For many of the women who spoke to Economy & Lifestyle, however, the principal consideration remains economic, with the sustained escalation in the prices of essential commodities making menstrual hygiene increasingly difficult to afford.

Over the past few years, persistent inflation has driven up the cost of both imported and locally manufactured sanitary pads, placing quality menstrual products beyond the reach of some households already struggling to meet basic food and other living expenses.

Mrs Nefisat Amadu, a healthcare worker, said the cost of managing her heavy menstrual flow had become a substantial drain on her income.

“I used to spend a significant chunk of my salary just managing my heavy flow every month. A single pad barely lasts three hours for me. But with a single size 2 baby diaper cut down the middle, I can get through an entire workday without a single stain or leak. Economically, it just makes sense, even if it feels incredibly degrading to buy baby products for myself,” she said.

The growing preference for diapers has also been fuelled by heightened public anxiety following the circulation of an online report on a domestic study which reportedly detected volatile organic compounds and heavy metals, including lead and arsenic, in samples from several popular sanitary pad brands.

For women who already experience skin irritation and contact dermatitis after using certain menstrual products, the report has further intensified concerns about conventional sanitary pads.

Mrs Jadesola Akinmorin, a lecturer, recounted her experience after she developed a skin infection which she attributed to the use of a particular sanitary pad brand.

She said, “I just tore one of my Ankara wrappers in pieces. That is what I am currently using during my menstrual cycle because the pad I was using almost made me run mad.”

Meanwhile, medical professionals have raised concerns that the economic compromises women are making to manage their menstrual cycles could expose them to other health complications.

Dr Marvel Abubakar, a gynaecologist, explained that baby diapers were designed primarily for the absorption of urine, which differs considerably from menstrual discharge in both composition and consistency.

“Baby diapers are fundamentally engineered to absorb urine, which is a light, rapidly dispersing liquid. Menstrual discharge is entirely different; it is thicker, containing clotted blood and cellular tissue. Diapers lack the specific distribution layers required to handle clots, causing fluid to pool at the surface,” he said.

Abubakar further noted that the capacity of diapers to retain substantial volumes of liquid for prolonged periods could encourage some women to wear them for considerably longer than they would ordinarily wear sanitary pads.

He said the bulky, heavily plasticised construction of disposable diapers could also retain heat, perspiration and moisture against the sensitive vulval region, creating conditions that may encourage the proliferation of bacteria and fungi, particularly in humid environments.

According to him, such conditions could increase the risk of bacterial vaginosis and urinary tract infections, particularly where menstrual hygiene practices are inadequate.

The gynaecologist said women should not be forced to choose between the financial burden of menstrual hygiene and the potential health consequences of unsafe alternatives, urging regulatory authorities to investigate concerns surrounding chemical exposure from menstrual hygiene products.

He also called for measures to reduce the cost of essential menstrual products, including the removal of tariffs on basic menstrual care items, as part of efforts to address period poverty.

“Until systemic changes are made, the sight of adult women altering infant diapers will remain a stark symbol of a missing social safety net,” Abubakar said.

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