When most people think of period poverty, they imagine challenges in low- and middle-income countries. But the truth is that millions of menstruators in high-income countries, including the United States, still struggle to afford or access essential products like pads and tampons. Rising living costs, insurance gaps, and stigma all play a role.

A 2025 study published in Pediatrics shines a light on a new way forward: embedding menstrual equity programs directly into healthcare delivery. By partnering with community organizations, clinics in the U.S. piloted a program that distributed menstrual products to patients — with strikingly positive results.

The Study: Bridging the Gap Between Clinics and Communities

The intervention was designed as a clinical-community partnership, where healthcare providers worked alongside nonprofits focused on menstrual equity. The clinics became not just places of diagnosis and treatment, but also points of access for essential hygiene supplies.

Key elements of the program included:

• Free distribution of pads and tampons during clinic visits
• Educational resources for patients on menstrual health and hygiene
• Partnerships with local nonprofits that helped with product supply and outreach
• Integration into routine care, ensuring no stigma was attached to requesting products

Why Healthcare Settings Matter

Healthcare environments are uniquely positioned to address period poverty because:

• Trust & Access: Patients already rely on clinics for care, making them a safe space to ask for support.
• Holistic Care: Menstrual health isn’t separate from overall health — clinicians can normalize conversations about periods while also addressing related conditions like anemia, endometriosis, or irregular cycles.
• Equity Lens: Clinics often serve vulnerable populations, including low-income families, adolescents, and immigrants — groups disproportionately affected by period poverty.

By embedding menstrual equity into healthcare, the study reframed access to menstrual products as part of basic preventive care.

The Results: Acceptance and Impact

The study found that patients welcomed and appreciated the program. For many, it eased the financial strain of purchasing products, while others noted it reduced anxiety around managing their periods when money was tight.

Even more importantly, the initiative helped destigmatize menstruation in clinical settings. By treating pads and tampons as healthcare necessities rather than luxury items, clinics sent a powerful message: menstrual care is healthcare.

Why Period Poverty Still Exists in High-Income Countries

Despite being one of the world’s wealthiest nations, the U.S. has stark gaps in menstrual equity.

• Cost: Low-income families often have to choose between food, rent, and period products.
• Insurance gaps: Menstrual products are rarely covered by insurance, unlike many other health essentials.
• Stigma: Talking about menstruation remains taboo, even in medical settings.

This creates a hidden public health crisis: studies show that nearly 1 in 5 teens in the U.S. have struggled to afford period products, leading to missed school days and lower participation in daily life.

The Future: Scaling Clinical-Community Models

The success of this pilot raises important questions for the future:

• Can insurers cover menstrual products as preventive care?
• Could menstrual product distribution be standardized in clinics nationwide, similar to vaccinations or contraceptives?
• How can policymakers and healthcare leaders integrate menstrual equity into broader health equity frameworks?

If scaled, this approach could transform clinics into hubs of dignity and access, ensuring that no patient leaves without the products they need to manage their health.

Conclusion: Menstrual Equity as Healthcare Equity

The 2025 Pediatrics study underscores an urgent truth: period poverty is not just a social issue — it’s a healthcare issue. Embedding menstrual equity into clinical care isn’t just compassionate, it’s practical, effective, and scalable.

By treating pads and tampons as essentials — no different from vaccines or blood pressure screenings — we move one step closer to dismantling stigma and ensuring that menstrual health is recognized as what it truly is: a fundamental part of human health and dignity.

Anderson S, Cordero C, Shah N, et al. Implementing a Clinical-Community Program to Address Menstrual Poverty in the United States. Pediatrics. 2025;155(6):e2024068710. doi:10.1542/peds.2024-068710