Menstruation for People with Disabilities (Levva Life's Podcast Episode Script in English)

Hello, This is Bita Baghestani. You're listening to the third episode of the LevvaLife podcast. In this podcast, we talk about menstruation and strive to raise awareness and foster empathy in society about this subject. Our goal is for no one to fall behind in their daily life because of their period—a natural process of the female body—and for it never to be a source of shame or worry.

We know that talking about periods has always been taboo. That’s why there is so little information about it in society, and many women face their periods, their challenges, and even related illnesses in isolation. This episode is being recorded and released after a relatively long gap, but we hope to reduce these intervals in the future.

In this episode, we address a topic that we might not have thought about before: menstruation among people with disabilities! A large group of people who remain invisible because society does not see them! Yet, they make up 10–17% of the population—more than 10 million people! To quote Pouria Alami, ignoring this population is like removing Isfahan and Shiraz from Iran! (major provinces in Iran) So whether you have a disability, care for someone with a disability or neither, you should listen to this episode because there are undoubtedly people around you who face these challenges.

(On a side note, let me explain why we use the term people with disabilities instead of the disabled. Words carry meaning, and when we say people or women with disabilities, we emphasize their humanity and that they are not defined solely by their disability; it is just one aspect of their lives. On the other hand, terms like the disabled or disabled women seem to tie their identity entirely to their disability, which doesn’t help and often acts as a barrier to recognizing these individuals as capable and serious.)

We’ve often talked about the difficulties and challenges of menstruation and tried to raise awareness about it. In my view, today, teenage girls to some extent receive education about menstruation in their families, schools, or through media (at least, I hope so). But does this education meet the needs of everyone in society?

For example, how accessible are restrooms and showers for someone with mobility limitations? How well-suited are menstrual products for them? And how do they navigate their periods? Or, consider a teenage girl with cognitive or intellectual disabilities—how should we talk to her about menstruation? How do we teach her in a way she understands so she doesn’t feel scared and has an easier time?

In one of the posts on the Levva Instagram page, a woman with a disability wrote to us saying that most people assume they never mature, always perceive them as children, and think they lack anything related to gender. Often, when the topic comes up, people react with surprise, saying, “Do you menstruate too?—even though I am 26 years old! They can’t even imagine it’s a possibility, let alone consider how to address it.

Another group of people quickly suggests removing the uterus, but they don’t seem to understand the consequences of such a decision. She wrote, “We have the right to maintain our health. Society should do something to solve the problem of people with disabilities, the answer should not be removing parts of our body!”

And this was a wake-up call for me—how much we don’t know! Once again, I’ll share a comment from the Levva page: someone who voluntarily provides services to girls with disabilities wrote that “these individuals don’t need charity or pity; they need their differences to be seen. If we help empower them, they will not only create value for society but also have better lives for themselves.”

In this episode, you’ll hear from a few women with disabilities and people who care for them. We hope this helps us take more informed steps toward making a difference.

While researching for this episode, I found that globally, around 19% of the population lives with a disability. However, in the design of menstrual health products and services, they are almost entirely overlooked! According to studies, only 6% of caregivers receive proper training on menstrual health and hygiene. Just imagine—a mother of a girl who may have various physical or intellectual disabilities receives no training and is forced to rely on trial and error. This isn’t limited to Iran; global statistics show this!

Let me give you a few examples to help illustrate this better: Disabilities come in various forms and degrees. For instance:

• For someone with mobility limitations, tasks we take for granted—like opening the plastic packaging of a sanitary pad or washing reusable hygiene products—can be difficult or even impossible.
• For someone with sensory impairments, such as blindness or low vision, even distinguishing menstrual blood from regular discharge can be challenging. This creates constant anxiety about staining their clothes, furniture, etc.
• I spoke with the mother of a teenage girl with hearing loss. At first, I thought this type of disability wouldn’t be related to menstruation, but she explained that her daughter has a smaller vocabulary than her peers due to her hearing impairment. This makes it harder for her to express her feelings and experiences, making the early days of puberty particularly challenging.

One deeply painful and even frightening issue is that many resources suggest solutions like removing the uterus or using hormonal drugs to prevent menstruation altogether. Unfortunately, in some countries, this is a standard practice because society assumes these individuals cannot manage their periods—or worse, that it’s not worth the effort to provide them with the support they need.

The question is: if we can design cars that allow people with disabilities to drive independently, why can’t we create hygiene products that enable them to manage their periods on their own?

Let’s hear the key points directly from those experiencing these challenges. I’m sure listening to their words will be insightful.

This voice you’re about to hear belongs to a mother who cares for her daughter, who has multiple disabilities, including intellectual disability, low vision, and hearing loss.

Mother’s Voice: Since my daughter is deaf, there are many things we can’t fully explain to her. She doesn’t understand the meaning of many words, her vocabulary is very limited, and she hasn’t been exposed to many places or social settings. Some places don’t even accept her into their groups. On top of that, she has intellectual disabilities, so there are things that can’t really be explained to her; she should experience them directly. Until something happens, she doesn’t fully grasp it, no matter how much I explain.

For instance, even something as basic as going to the bathroom is challenging. I have to change her underwear myself. During her period, she can’t do anything without my help. I constantly have to keep an eye on her—how she sits, how she moves—it’s all difficult. And because she has poor vision, that’s another issue. She doesn’t realize when it’s time to take care of things herself. I have to supervise everything: taking her to the bathroom, helping her shower, constantly changing her clothes.

She doesn’t even understand what’s causing her pain or how she feels. She can’t articulate whether something is bothering her. We tried different solutions, from pads to reusable products, but in the end, she was most comfortable with adult diapers. At first, she resisted because it was unfamiliar, but eventually, she accepted it and became more at ease with it.

Her resistance to new things made my job harder. For example, I’d explain to her that she couldn’t run around, that she might fall or her clothes might get dirty, but she wouldn’t listen. We couldn’t go to gatherings often because she couldn’t sit still or follow the same rules as other girls. Eventually, after a few experiences where she got sick in public or her clothes got dirty, she realized that staying at home during this time was easier for both of us.

In the beginning, she was very frustrated. She didn’t understand why she couldn’t play, why she was in pain, or why her clothes got dirty. Honestly, we also get irritable during this time—so you can imagine how much harder it is for kids like her, who also deal with social and emotional challenges. We’re forced to endure all of it.

But the hardest part for me is seeing that she’s never been in a space where she could talk about her problems, learn from others’ experiences, or share her own thoughts. That’s more painful for me than anything else. She can’t express her pain or what’s bothering her, and she can’t be part of a community where she feels understood.

Another thing that really bothers me during this time—and I urge you as a media platform with many followers to share this message—is the constant barrage of inappropriate comments we receive. We’re tired of hearing suggestions like, “Why don’t you give her pills to stop her periods?” or “Why don’t you just remove her uterus? She doesn’t need it anyway.”

We’ve thought about all these things. We’ve tried every possible solution. But you can’t always decide for someone else or think on their behalf. No matter how challenging her condition is, we still have hope that one day there might be a treatment for her. My daughter doesn’t have a genetic or congenital issue—her brain’s nerve has been damaged. There’s a chance this problem could be resolved in the future.

And when that day comes, she will be a healthy person, but one who can’t embrace her femininity because we made an irreversible decision about her body. I don’t have the right to make that decision for her. The only time such a decision might be acceptable is if her life is in danger, and even then, it would be up to the doctors to decide. Until she’s old enough and capable of making that choice herself, I don’t think I should decide something so significant on her behalf.

Fa’ezeh has faced physical challenges since birth and is missing one leg. Despite this, she has worked hard to lead an active life, attending university, working, and staying involved in sports. However, her journey has not been without its struggles.

Hello, and thank you for your time. I was born without the left leg. My challenges are mostly related to urban infrastructure. Unfortunately, there are no properly adapted public restrooms. If I unexpectedly get my period, I have no choice but to rush home, whether I’m at work or university. This is one of the biggest challenges for people like us.

Another issue is the quality of sanitary pads. Because I use a prosthetic leg, and some of my friends use wheelchairs, we face specific difficulties during our periods. My leg pulls on the pad, and since the adhesives aren’t strong enough, it shifts when I walk, causing leaks. The pad moves to one side, and blood leaks from the other side.

Pain is another challenge. While all women experience period pain, for those of us with disabilities, it’s doubled. I recall a particularly cold day when I unexpectedly got my period at work. Since the office lacked proper restroom facilities, I had to endure excruciating pain as I walked a long distance in search of an accessible restroom. Walking causes me pain even on normal days, and adding period pain to it makes the experience unbearable. To make matters worse, if my clothes get stained, the societal reaction is overwhelmingly negative. If a non-disabled woman’s clothes are stained, society tends to empathize with her. However, when it happens to me, the reaction is more judgmental, as though I’m incapable of taking care of myself.

Despite our efforts to be careful, these things happen and are beyond our control, yet society offers little understanding or empathy.

Based on Fa’ezeh’s experiences, I felt that using Levva products could potentially improve her period experience. I asked her to try our products and share her feedback. After two months, here’s what she said:

I’ve tried both products: the period underwear and the menstrual cup.

The period underwear was truly amazing. Because my left hip is underdeveloped and uneven, there’s always a tilt when I sit, which often causes leaks in my clothes. But the underwear eliminated this worry and provided full coverage. I think it’s a fantastic option, and I definitely plan to buy another pair and recommend it to my friends.

However, I couldn’t quite adapt to the menstrual cup. Insertion was painful for me, and it didn’t stay in place while I walked. I’ve heard it’s difficult for many people at first, so I’m hopeful that I’ll get used to it in the future.

Next, we’ll hear Zahra’s story. She became disabled at 27 after a car accident and mentioned that she has never received proper education about menstrual hygiene. Everything she knows, she learned through trial and error. Her experience with Levva is also worth sharing.

I was a very active person—I had a daughter and ran my own beauty salon. At the age of 27, I had a car accident, which injured my spinal cord. My lower body was paralyzed, causing urinary and fecal incontinence, which is common among people with disabilities. Fortunately, I don’t need a permanent catheter and use disposable catheters instead.

Every time I feel the need to use the restroom, I immediately insert a catheter. Cleanliness in this area is crucial for me. But when I got my period, maintaining hygiene was incredibly difficult because of the blood.

About four years ago, I went to a clinic for a laser treatment appointment. On the day of my appointment, I unexpectedly got my period. I asked them to reschedule, but they refused and told me to use a tampon or menstrual cup instead. I had never heard of a menstrual cup before. I went to a pharmacy and asked for one. They gave me the Levva cup, and I bought it.

I read the instructions, boiled it, and tried it. That day, I went to my appointment and experienced no leaks. I was amazed at how effective and practical it was. For me, it was like a miracle—no blood leaked out, and I could easily use the restroom and insert my catheter. I was so grateful to the woman who introduced me to this product.

Last week, I was finally able to purchase Levva’s period underwear. Now, when I go out, I use it along with the menstrual cup for added security. I can have a clean, waste-free period, which is important to me because I’ve always been bothered by the large volume of disposable pads and diapers I used to rely on.

The next voice comes from the sister of a woman with a disability, who shared the challenges her sister faces:

Hello, and thank you for your time. My sister became completely paralyzed in all her limbs four years ago due to a car accident. This has made her period extremely challenging because all the personal care tasks that are normally self-managed must now be handled by her caregiver.

We face several issues: the only product we can use is sanitary pads. These come with their own challenges. People with disabilities often take blood-thinning medications, which makes their period blood thinner. This causes leakage, no matter how large the pad is.

Menstrual cups are not an option because they require personal use, which isn’t feasible in her situation. We considered using period underwear from your brand, but her caregiver is unwilling to wash blood-stained underwear, so that’s not an option either.

So, we’re stuck with sanitary pads, which come with their own issues—how to position them, when to change them, and dealing with allergies that cause itching and burning.

These challenges go beyond just the bleeding. Mood swings before periods are particularly hard for individuals with disabilities. Their therapy sessions often have to be canceled during their period because of the disruptions it causes.

Maintaining hygiene in the genital area is especially difficult for people in these situations, often leading to unavoidable vaginal and urinary infections.

Thank you for joining us in this episode. We are committed to continuing this project and working towards solutions that can make even a small difference for these individuals.

If you have any experiences or insights that could help us on this journey, we’d be incredibly grateful to hear from you.

Until next time, take care!