The Best Menstrual Cups And Menstrual Discs in Canada | A PN Guide

Menstrual cup options are hard to find in Canada. The selection is slim compared to the many brands available in the US. Menstrual discs available in Canada are even harder to come by since these are newer products. Menstrual cups and menstrual discs are Class II medical devices and must be approved by Health Canada. It can be frustrating as a Canadian to find the cup or disc that fits you best from the small selection available; this resource aims to help. Visit our “How to Measure Your Cervix” guide and reference our “Menstrual Cup Firmness” article; we will reference cervix height and firmness frequently in this guide.

Why Are There So Few Options In Canada?

Menstrual cups and menstrual discs are Class II medical devices and each product must be registered with Health Canada. The process can be lengthy in reality despite the claim of “15 days for approval”; several unnamed sources who have gone through it report a timeframe of 2 years or more to complete registration. When compared to the FDA registration process for menstrual cups/discs in the US, Health Canada’s process is more strict on product and material quality. Health Canada requires that brands sold in Canada hold ISO certification. According to one rep familiar with the process, …“one of the reasons why other companies’ cups might not have been approved for sale in Canada is that many include dyes, which also need to clear these regulations.” Brands also must register each model (size) individually instead of seeking registration for all products below the umbrella of their company. To be sold in stores all products must have French and English on their packaging as well.

If a brand wants to be sold in Canada the cost/benefit analysis for even a mid-size company with millions in sales might just not be worth the time/cost/labor to sell in Canada. The population of Canada is around 37 million, while the US population is 332 million. For specialized menstrual cup designs that address niche needs, such as low cervix options, the pool of users is already small. You can see why some brands simply don’t have the resources or bandwidth to justify launching their product in Canada. So often when I talk to brands about selling in Canada they respond that it’s not possible “at this time” but something they hope to pursue as their company grows.

US Menstrual Cup Market Versus Canada

The FDA lists about 200 brands and models of registered menstrual cups/discs as of October 2022. This is compared to Health Canada, where currently only 15 are approved. Of the 200 FDA registered listings about 70% of US menstrual cup and discs are “generic” designs* sold under various brand names that are manufactured by multiple private label manufacturers in the US, China, and other countries around the world*. These brands are primarily found on websites like Amazon, eBay, Instagram, or sold direct to consumers. For US shoppers, Period.Shop curates a selection of brands that meet stricter standards; we only carry proprietary designs that meet our own standards that go beyond FDA requirements.

Thousands of Canadians lack access to the product they need. Some users have found loopholes such as 3rd party mail forwarding services, but this can often double or triple the final cost. The US suffers from an overabundance of FDA-registered menstrual cups and discs; we have an overcrowded, repetitive market that is flooded with private-label imports. Many of those manufacturers infringe on the intellectual property of other brands while simultaneously undercutting them with lower-quality products. The stricter process of Health Canada has benefits as well; a stricter and more regulated process keeps bottom-tier brands and drop shippers from flooding the market.

In a perfect world, the US would better regulate the reusable menstrual products they sell to make our markets safer and less confusing. Meanwhile, in a perfect Canada, the process for Health Canada registration would be adjusted to better allow for more competition and options for menstruators who are not having their needs met. There needs to be a balance that keeps products safe for users and enforces their quality while also allowing smaller brands that cater to niche needs in Canada.

What Menstrual Cups are Available in Canada?

Health Canada Approved Menstrual Cup Brand Index

Health Canada Approved Menstrual Disc Brand Index

In the US the selection of reusable menstrual discs has exploded but due to the length of time it takes for Health Canada approval it will take longer for more options to make their way to Canada. As with cups, not every menstrual disc brand will decide to pursue this option but I do expect we will see a few more reach final approval in the next 1-2 years.

Nixit – first approved in 2020, Nixit is registered and advertised as Nixit Cup however the product is a menstrual disc in function. Nixit Cup is one of the softest reusable menstrual discs (“2”) available worldwide and is “one size fits most,” however some users with a very low cervix may not be able to successfully use Nixit.

Best For: Average Cervix, Users Experiencing Bladder Pressure

Saalt Disc – first approved in 2023, Saalt Disc is now available in Canada. Saalt Disc offered two sizes, a Small and Regular. Their Regular is similar to other brands’ One Size. Saalt Disc has a removal notch and is average (“3”) firmness. While it works well for many the removal notch can sometimes rotate during wear.

Best For: Low – Average Cervix (Regular), Low Cervix (Small)

Where to Buy: Saaltca.com, Amazon.ca

Other Ways to Shop in Canada

This resource is intended to help Canadians find a menstrual cup or disc within the country that will work best for their needs. If none of these products listed will work, or you’ve tried several without luck and have your heart set on something from the US your best avenue is taking advantage of friends or family in the states. You can also utilize 3rd party shipping services with a US address that forward your mail, but these can be very expensive. Many people will do or pay almost anything to find their period nirvana when it’s not a product available to them.

If you’re on a tight budget but determined my advice is to look at the newer menstrual disc options in Canada since discs are less finicky in how they fit and work for more users of varying body types. There is always the waiting game; as more time passes new models and brands will slowly find their way into Canada.

Sources:

Establishment Registration & Device Listing Database – all menstrual cups and discs, considered Class II devices, sold in the US must be registered with the FDA in this database. To utilize this tool yourself look for the brand or device code HHE. A menstrual cup or disc can not be “FDA Approved.”

Health Products Canada Database – all menstrual cups and discs must be registered with Health Canada individually. All new models and sizes must be registered and approved before they can be sold in Canada. To find all currently listed cups and discs in Canada I used a combination of websites selling to Canada including Amazon, Well.ca, Shopper’s Mart, etc, and cross-referenced those listed brands by searching this database. Most of the brands on Amazon.ca were not found (meaning they are not registered with Health Canada) when searching for their brand or company name.

Notes:

*The statement that 70% of all FDA-registered menstrual cups and discs are “private label” is my own rough estimate. I went through all 100+ registered listings and the “brands” listed beneath the manufacturer’s registration to reach this number. Many brands have duplicate listings, these were not included in the total. Of 196 menstrual cup and disc models, 136 listings and sub-listings are private label models sold under various names. Manufacturers such as Xi’an Furuize Biotechnology and Casco Bay Molding make up the vast majority of the private-label cup and disc models sold in the US. Learn more about the practice of private labeling menstrual cups.

This data was sourced in October 2022 and is accurate as of that timeframe. The most recenet update was made on September 25, 2023. To look up the status of any menstrual cup or disc you can use the linked eFDA Database or Heath Products Canada Database.