Is the Diva Cup Good for a Heavy Flow? - Reusable Menstrual Cups

Is the Diva Cup good for a heavy period?

Table of Contents

Do I have a Heavy Flow?

The official definition of a heavy flow is someone who loses more than 80 ml of menstrual fluid per period (it’s called Menorrhagia).

Most people lose around 30 ml of fluid over the course of 3-7 days. But of course, this can vary from person to person and also within a lifetime.

The amount of flow is strongly impacted by choice of birth control methods. Most people find that their flow gets lighter when they start something like hormonal birth control.

The average jumbo tampon or overnight pad holds around 10 ml, while the average one holds 5 ml. According to this, you have a heavy period if…

You soak through 16 or more regular pads or tampons in a period
You soak through 8 or more jumbo pads or tampons during a period

It’s actually not that difficult to do! If you have a heavy period, is the Diva Cup a good choice for you?

Is the Diva Cup a Good Option for a Heavy Period?

Diva Cup for a Heavy Flow?

The Diva Cup is the most popular menstrual cup in the world (see the full review here). It’s made in Canada from medical grade silicone and has some excellent user reviews on Amazon.

If you have a heavy flow, is it a good option for you? Let’s Find out!

Both the small and large Diva Cups can hold 30 ml of fluid. That’s 3x more than a jumbo pad or tampon. In terms of convenience, you’ll have to deal with your period 3x less.

If a jumbo tampon only lasts you 3 hours, you may make it 8 or 9 with the Diva Cup. It’s kind of a game-changer in our opinion.

Maybe you’ve never been able to sleep through the night during your period because you’d have to get up to change your tampon. Pair up the Diva Cup with a pad in case of leaks and you might just make it without stains on your sheets.

Ahhh…sleep is so good!

Are there Better Menstrual Cup Options for a Heavy Period?

The Diva Cup is a decent option for a heavy flow. However, at 30 ml, the capacity is considered to be average. There are some below average cups that hold as little as 15 ml and you’d certainly want to avoid these ones with a heavy period.

If you truly have a very heavy period, then you might want to consider a higher capacity menstrual cup. Some of these period cups hold upwards of 40 ml, which can really make a big difference for you if you’re bleeding a lot.

Compare a menstrual cup that can hold 40 ml to one that can hold 30 ml like the Diva Cup. If you have to change your Diva Cup every 6 hours when your flow is heavy, you may get 8 hours out of a bigger cup.

Does this make a difference? Possibly, yes, especially at night-time if you don’t want to get up in the night.

For our top recommendations for bigger menstrual cups, you’ll want to check out: High-Capacity Menstrual Cups.

How to Deal with a Heavy Period

Should I See my Doctor about a Heavy Period?

If you have a very heavy period, we suggest making an appointment with your family doctor or gyno to discuss the situation.

There are a number of reasons why people have very heavy periods, including the following:

Fibroids or polyps
Perimenopause
Hormonal imbalance
Certain medications (blood thinners for example)
Blood clotting disorder
Endometriosis

There are also a number of treatment options, but of course, this depends on the underlying condition causing your heavy flow. Check in with your doctor to find the right solution for you.

Also be sure to ask your doctor to check on your iron levels. Many people with a very heavy period have low iron as a result of this. Some of the symptoms include fatigue, or dizziness to name only a few.

Something like the Diva Menstrual Cup is only a “bandaid” solution to deal with the problem. It can often be better to find out what’s causing the problem, and deal with that instead.