What’s Really in Your Sanitary Pads? UFS Study Flags Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals
- A study by the University of the Free State has found hormone-disrupting chemicals in every pad and pantyliner tested, including “organic” brands
- Researchers detected phthalates, bisphenols (including BPA), and parabens, substances previously linked to fertility issues, early puberty, and cancer risk
- Although exposure levels fall below current safety limits, scientists warn that decades of repeated use could pose long-term health concerns
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FREE STATE - South African women may be unknowingly exposing themselves to hormone-disrupting chemicals every month, through products they trust most.
A new study by the University of the Free State has found that everyday sanitary pads and pantyliners contain measurable levels of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs).
The research, published in Science of The Total Environment, detected these substances in every single product tested. This includes brands marketed as “organic” and “plant-based.”
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What are these chemicals, and why does it matter?
The chemicals in question include phthalates, bisphenols (like BPA), and parabens. They’re commonly used in plastics, adhesives, preservatives, and fragrances. Scientists call them endocrine disruptors because they can interfere with the body’s hormone system.
Some of these chemicals can act like oestrogen in the body. Because oestrogen plays a key role in reproductive development and can fuel certain breast cancers, long-term exposure to hormone-mimicking substances has raised health concerns worldwide.
Previous studies have linked some phthalates and bisphenols to fertility problems, early puberty, endometriosis, hormone imbalances, liver damage and an increased cancer risk.
What did the researchers actually test?
To test this, researchers bought 16 sanitary pads and seven pantyliners from a major South African retailer, including international brands, local products and items labelled “organic.”
They analysed the top layer ,the part that touches the skin, for 20 endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Every product contained at least two EDCs, with pantyliners showing detection rates of 75% to 100% and pads between 50% and 100%; liners had higher levels of phthalates, while pads contained more bisphenols, including BPA.
How much are women being exposed to?
Levels in a single product are relatively small; however, researchers stress that the issue is the decades of repeated, direct contact with sensitive tissue.
Menstrual products are used for several days every month, often for 30 to 40 years of a person’s life. The vulvar area also absorbs chemicals more readily than regular skin. That repeated, cumulative exposure is what raises concern.
What does this mean for consumers?
The study does not claim that sanitary pads are immediately dangerous. But it does identify menstrual products as a previously overlooked source of hormone-disrupting chemical exposure in South Africa.
The call is therefore for greater transparency around product ingredients, a push for stronger oversight, and clearer labelling in products that millions of South African women use every month for decades.
Practical steps for women
UFS Professor Visser advises women to look for products certified under the OEKO-TEX Standard 100, or to consider reusable alternatives.
The research team found that the findings underscore the need for clearer labelling, stronger chemical standards, and continued monitoring of everyday menstrual products.
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South African woman bags award for cancer research
In related news, a PhD candidate from the University of Pretoria, Samantha Loggenberg, has won an international L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Award for her cancer research, making South Africa proud. She is studying South African medicinal plants in the hope of finding new ways to slow or stop the spread of triple-negative breast cancer, one of the hardest types to treat. Loggenberg says the award has boosted her confidence and highlights how seeing women succeed in science can inspire others to follow suit.
UFS professor ranked top 2 scientist in the world
Briefly News also reported that a professor of applied mathematics at the University of the Free State has been ranked the second-best mathematician in the world, according to a global list compiled by Stanford University. His ranking in the top 2% of scientists worldwide reflects the impact of his research and places him among elite researchers across science, technology and engineering. The recognition also highlights how Top-tier scientific achievement can come from universities in developing nations
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Source: Briefly News
