WHAT’S INSIDE YOUR SANITARY PAD? Nigerian Women Demand Answers Over Chemical Disclosure
Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – For millions of Nigerian women and girls, sanitary pads are an everyday necessity, yet many have little idea what materials and chemicals go into the products they place against their bodies for hours at a time. In this report, Oluwatobi Adu examines what scientific studies have found in some sanitary pads sold in Nigeria, what regulators and experts say about the potential risks, and why consumers are demanding clearer information about product safety.
A Product Women Trust but Rarely Question
For most women, choosing a sanitary pad is a practical decision. Comfort, absorbency, price, size and leakage protection often determine what they buy. The materials used to manufacture the product rarely influence that choice.
Many consumers assume that products sold in shops and supermarkets have passed the necessary safety checks.
However, recent research detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other chemicals in some sanitary pad samples has raised questions about product safety and consumer awareness.
For 30-year-old nail technician and makeup artist Boluwatife Ebode, the answer is simple: not enough. “I don’t know anything about the chemicals or materials used to make pads. I believe that before any product is widely used or released to the market, the relevant regulatory agencies like NAFDAC would have verified its authenticity and safety. So, I mainly rely on online reviews and the popularity of a product.”
Ebode said manufacturers and regulators should provide clearer information about sanitary-pad materials and safety. “Manufacturers or regulators should come out to inform us and clear the air on what is really going on with their products, what can be done, how safe the pads are to use, and what should be avoided.”
What Women Look For When Buying Sanitary Pads
Ebode is not alone. Josephine Adeogun, a 28-year-old content creator, said she usually chooses sanitary pads based on familiarity, availability and comfort rather than their listed materials. “Honestly, I usually just choose any sanitary pad that I’m familiar with or that is available when I need to buy one. I don’t normally pay much attention to the materials used, ingredients, or other information on the packaging.”
Before hearing about the recent findings, Adeogun said she had not seriously considered what sanitary pads contained or whether their materials could affect the body. “I simply assumed that sanitary pads were safe to use because they are products made specifically for menstrual hygiene.”
The findings have since changed what she considers when shopping. “I would probably pay more attention to the brand and ask people I trust for recommendations before buying one,” she said.
However, Adeogun said recommendations alone are not enough. “I would also like manufacturers to provide clear and easy-to-understand information about the materials and chemicals used in their pads, especially any substances that may come into contact with the skin.”
For Ashabi, a chef and librarian, the priorities are similar. She considers comfort, absorbency, size, price, leakage protection and whether a familiar product has previously caused irritation.
She said she had assumed sanitary pads were made from materials tested for safety. “I mostly assumed that they were made from materials that had been tested and were safe for use. I was mainly concerned about whether the pad was comfortable, absorbent, and didn’t cause irritation.”
Now, she wants manufacturers to disclose more information about fragrances, additives and other substances used in menstrual products. “I would like manufacturers to clearly state the materials and chemicals used in sanitary pads and explain whether they are safe for long-term and regular use.”
One Woman’s Experience Raises Another Question
For Felicity, the issue is more personal.
She said she has experienced rashes, itching and irritation around her buttocks after using some sanitary pads. “I’ve also personally experienced some discomfort after using certain sanitary pads. There have been times when, after my period, I would develop rashes around my buttocks and the surrounding area, accompanied by serious itching and irritation.”
However, she is careful not to attribute the reaction directly to chemicals in the products. “I can’t say for certain that the chemicals in the pads caused it, because I never had it medically confirmed,” she said.
That distinction matters because skin irritation can have several causes. One person’s experience does not establish that a particular product or chemical caused the reaction.
Nevertheless, the experience has made Felicity more interested in the materials used in menstrual products. “Now, I’m more interested in knowing what materials and substances are used to produce the pad, especially because it stays in contact with sensitive skin for several hours.”
She wants manufacturers to disclose the materials and additives used and explain the safety tests conducted. “I also think consumers should be given enough information to understand what they are putting against their bodies, rather than only seeing information about absorbency and protection.”
What Does Science Say About Chemicals in Sanitary Pads?
The concerns surrounding sanitary pads are not based solely on consumer experiences.
A 2024 study published in the Nigerian Research Journal of Chemical Sciences examined 65 samples from 16 sanitary pad brands sold in Nigeria.
Researchers affiliated with the Nigerian Defence Academy and Air Force Institute of Technology detected multiple volatile organic compounds in the samples.
They also conducted a risk assessment comparing estimated exposure with reference doses. The researchers said their findings warranted stronger regulatory testing before distribution.
However, the study does not establish that women using sanitary pads are being harmed or that the detected chemicals cause disease at the levels found.
Detecting a chemical in a product is not the same as proving that it causes illness. Potential risks depend on the chemical involved, its concentration, the route of exposure and the duration of contact.
What Are Volatile Organic Compounds?
Volatile organic compounds, commonly known as VOCs, are organic chemicals that can easily evaporate into the air at ordinary temperatures.
A biochemist and senior officer at the Federal Produce Inspection Service, Isiaka Rilwan Taiwo, said sanitary products may contain different chemical groups, including VOCs, phthalates, phenolic compounds, fragrances and pesticides.
He identified toluene, methylene chloride and xylene among the VOCs reported in sanitary-pad assessments.
However, Taiwo said the presence of these chemicals does not automatically mean a product is harmful. “Fortunately, there is no laboratory outcome that suggests that these VOCs are harmful to the body in any way.”
He said the potential effects depend on the type of chemical, its concentration and the duration of exposure. “Most of these chemicals are not harmful as such, because the period of exposure, the type of VOC used in sanitary pads are minimal. So, they pose no harm to humans.”
Taiwo cited reported VOC concentrations in some assessments ranging from less than 0.04 to 2.79 micrograms per pad. “Too low to be concerned. Unless the level of concentration can be made available for laboratory inspection.”
His assessment reflects his view of the reported findings. Establishing risk requires examining the specific chemicals, measured concentrations and realistic exposure conditions.
VOCs Are Not the Same as Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals
Other chemical groups raise separate questions about potential health effects.
Taiwo explained that endocrine-disrupting chemicals can interfere with the body’s hormone system. Phthalates, which have been detected in some sanitary products, are one example of a chemical group that has raised such concerns.
However, VOCs and endocrine-disrupting chemicals are not interchangeable terms.
“Not every VOC is an endocrine disruptor, and not every endocrine disruptor is a VOC. They are overlapping but different categories,” Taiwo said.
This distinction is important because discussions about chemicals in menstrual products can oversimplify a complex scientific issue. The available information does not support the conclusion that all chemicals are dangerous or that their presence alone proves harm.
What Does NAFDAC Require for Sanitary Pads?
Sanitary pads sold legally in Nigeria are subject to requirements set by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The agency registers and inspects products under applicable requirements, including documentation, labelling and quality considerations. A valid NAFDAC registration indicates that a product has met the agency’s applicable registration requirements at the time of approval.
However, the 2024 Nigerian study has raised questions about whether routine testing for VOCs should form part of broader product-safety assessments.
This does not establish that NAFDAC-approved sanitary pads are unsafe. Instead, it raises a wider question: should consumers have access to more detailed information about the chemicals and materials used in products designed for prolonged contact with sensitive skin?
Africa Health Report contacted a NAFDAC official for clarification but had not received a response at the time of filing.
Do Chemicals in Sanitary Pads Cause Cancer?
Concerns about cancer can emerge when consumers learn that chemicals have been detected in everyday products. However, chemical detection alone does not establish a cancer risk.
An oncologist who spoke with Africa Health Report said she was not aware of officially recorded evidence linking VOCs detected in sanitary pads to cancer.
She also said she had not independently verified the laboratory findings and could not draw a conclusion about the specific chemicals detected. “I don’t know of any officially recorded VOC that has been linked to cancer. I also haven’t gone to the laboratory to verify the findings myself, so I can’t say anything conclusive about the specific chemicals detected in the sanitary pads.”
Her comments highlight the difference between detecting chemicals and demonstrating clinical harm.
Further research may be needed to determine whether specific chemicals, at particular concentrations and under realistic exposure conditions, pose meaningful health risks.
What Does the Global Evidence Say?
The concerns are not unique to Nigeria. The World Health Organisation estimates that about 2.1 billion women and adolescent girls menstruate globally. It also says people who menstruate should have access to accurate information and effective, affordable menstrual materials.
WHO has noted gaps in global safety standards for menstrual materials, including the need to ensure product safety, quality and protection from harmful chemicals.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration regulates menstrual pads as medical devices. Independent studies have raised questions about contaminants in some menstrual products, while the FDA’s position, based on available evidence, is that cleared products remain safe for normal use.
These differences highlight the need for evidence-based discussion rather than alarm. Claims about health risks should reflect the strength and limitations of the available evidence.
What Women Want to Know About Sanitary Pads
For the women interviewed by Africa Health Report, the central issue is transparency.
They want to know what materials manufacturers use, whether fragrances or additives are present, what safety tests have been conducted and what the results mean for regular use.
They also want information presented in language ordinary consumers can understand. Their concerns do not necessarily mean they believe sanitary pads are dangerous.
Instead, their experiences reveal a gap between consumer trust and consumer knowledge.
Women use these products every month, often with little information about how they are made or what substances they contain. That information gap can create fear when research detects chemicals, even when evidence of harm from normal use is lacking.
Transparency Could Strengthen Consumer Trust
Clearer product information could help manufacturers build consumer confidence. Regulators could also improve public communication to prevent scientific findings from being misunderstood or exaggerated.
Meanwhile, further independent testing could help researchers establish whether chemicals detected in sanitary pads occur at levels that pose meaningful health risks under normal conditions.
For consumers, reliable information would make it easier to distinguish between the presence of a chemical and evidence that it causes harm.
The central question is therefore not simply whether chemicals are present in sanitary pads. It is whether Nigerian women have enough reliable information to understand what those chemicals are, why they are used, how much exposure occurs and whether they pose a proven health risk.
For women like Ebode, Adeogun, Ashabi and Felicity, the answers remain incomplete.
They are not asking for panic. They are asking for information.
When a product stays against the body for hours, month after month, knowing what it contains should be part of informed consumer choice, not a luxury.
Until manufacturers and regulators provide clearer information, uncertainty will remain. Millions of Nigerian women will continue to ask: what exactly are we putting against our bodies every month?
About the Author
Hope Ajayi 
Mirian Gom 