Experts dispel fears over hormone disruptors in South African pads and pantyliners

South African obstetrics and gynaecology experts are cautioning menstruating people from panicking over the University of the Free State’s (UFS) recent study, which found hormone-disrupting chemicals in popular pads and pantyliners. The sentiment was echoed by the Minister of Health, Aaron Motsoaledi, who told the National Assembly that the study needs further analysis.
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The South African Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (SASOG), along with the South African Society of Reproductive Medicine and Gynaecological Endoscopy (SASREG), and the College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (CMSA) said that the study did not establish any causality between the use of menstrual products and infertility, cancer or adverse health outcomes.

Context needed

According to them, the study requires context, perspective and correct interpretation of the data, with clear messaging on the broader implications for the public and the country.

Conducted on 16 sanitary pads and seven pantyliners sold at a South African retailer, the study found that small quantities of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) were present in the tested samples.

The researchers concluded that menstrual products are a significant but overlooked source of exposure.

“It is noteworthy that the study did not recommend that any of the tested products be withdrawn from the market,” it said in a statement.

Currently, we do not have evidence to recommend that patients stop using any menstrual health products, and we do not recommend any change of usual practice.

The experts say that endocrine-disrupting chemicals — above the permissible concentration levels — can interfere with the action of hormones, especially reproductive and thyroid hormones.

The cosmetic ingredients expert panel determines permissible concentration levels, and relevant regulatory bodies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States and the SABS (South African Bureau of Standards), use those guidelines to set practice guidelines.

Commonly found

These endocrine disruptors are very common and are present in low concentrations in various foodstuffs, household products, personal care and beauty products such as toothpaste, shampoo and conditioners, body lotions, lipsticks, clothing and electronics.

Therefore, SASOG is not surprised by the finding that they are also found in menstrual products.

Previous published studies have indeed confirmed that small amounts of these endocrine disruptors are present in menstrual health products.

A study in China reported that 40% of EDCs emanated from foodstuffs, 40% from other personal care products (PCPs) and 18% from indoor dust.

Of the PCPs analysed, sanitary pads contributed only 6.8% of the total exposure through feminine PCPs.

Get some perspective

SASOG believes that perspective is required to interpret the data and should not be isolated to sanitary products, which appear to be a small contributor to the overall total EDC exposure.

Importantly, SASOG says that the UFS study did not establish causation between the presence of endocrine disruptors in menstrual products and infertility, hormone dysfunction or cancer.

“If the data is critically analysed in context, one reaches the conclusion that, while it is important to note the existence of the endocrine disruptors in products used in our daily lives, there is no need to panic,” it said.

“The implication to the general public of harm has not been proven in this study.

“The daily doses have been found to be low, and the cumulative health risk has not been studied.

“The evidence at present does not support a change of usual practice.”

It recommends that the South African regulatory authorities conduct further testing and studies to determine the safety of these products.


 
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