Tampon shortages contribute to women’s supply chain woes: ‘It’s a perfect storm for women’

“The shelves are cleared,” said a Twitter user wrote.

Maggie Hassan, a Democratic junior senator from New Hampshire, said on Twitter that she was “calling on the CEOs of the big four tampon manufacturers to increase supply — not prices.”

The shortage of infant formula and tampons is a double whammy for women. “It’s uniquely affecting women in really critical ways. Both products are important for health and well-being,” said Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, primary care physician at One Medical in Phoenix, Arizona.

during the tampon shortage does not appear Being as severe as the lack of infant formula adds another layer of stress to women. Suzy Shinn, a Grammy-nominated audio engineer, wrote“I’m not emotionally strong enough to deal with a tampon shortage.”

Edgewell Personal Care EPC,
-0.34%,
The maker of tampon brands, including Playtex and Ob, said in its second-quarter results that a shortage of raw materials and a shortage of manufacturing workers impacted the supply of tampons.

Procter & Gamble PG,
-0.72%,
the maker of the Tampax and L brands controls more than half of the domestic tampon market, according to the Wall Street Journal. “We understand this is a temporary situation in the US and the Tampax team is producing tampons 24/7 to meet the increased demand for our products. We are working with our retail partners to maximize availability, which has increased significantly in recent months,” a Procter & Gamble spokesperson told MarketWatch.

Edgewell Personal Care did not respond to a request for comment.

A spokesman for Walmart WMT,
-1.93%
said the retailer saw no shortage of tampons, but spokesman for Walgreens WBA,
-0.88%
and CVS CVS,
-1.32%
said they are experiencing shortages with some popular brands. A CVS spokesman said there have been instances in recent weeks where tampon suppliers have not been able to fulfill orders placed by the store. CVS declined to give details of which suppliers were unable to fulfill orders.

The shortage of tampons could pose crucial health risks as women try to increase their supplies by using them longer than recommended, Bhuyan said. “It’s important not to prolong the use of a tampon,” Bhuyan said. “I’ve heard people online say they will.”

Tampons should be changed every four to eight hours at most, Bhuyan said, and people should choose the right absorbency level for their period.

“It’s a perfect storm for women,” Bhuyan said.

She advised women to check tampon packaging is sealed before use and always check the expiry date. An opened package could cause the tampon to grow mold.

Failure to follow usage guidelines can put you at risk of infection and, worst case scenario, toxic shock syndrome, a serious and potentially fatal condition that can occur when superabsorbent tampons are used over a long period of time. Bhuyan said.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked toxic shock syndrome to it Tampons made of certain materials in the 1980s, which manufacturers no longer use. Although it is very rare, it still happens.

“Manufacturers of tampons sold in the United States no longer use the materials or designs that have been associated with toxic shock syndrome,” according to the Mayo Clinic. “Additionally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires manufacturers to use standard absorbance measurements and labels, and to print guidelines on the boxes.”

“If you use tampons, read the labels and use the tampon with the least absorbency,” says the Mayo Clinic. “Changing tampons frequently, at least every four to eight hours. Alternate using tampons and sanitary napkins, and use mini-pads if your bleeding is light.”