Essity announced the launch of a new generation of sanitary pads designed to better address unpredictable menstrual flow, one of the everyday challenges contributing to the global menstrual health gap. This breakthrough innovation is being launched in Latin America and Europe.

For many people, periods remain marked by unpredictability, with sudden gushes and irregular flow often causing anxiety and reduced confidence in daily life. Beyond access to products, menstrual health is shaped by a combination of physical, social and emotional factors, including stigma and limited awareness, underlining the need for continued innovation that reflects real-life experiences.

Addressing an unmet need in menstrual health - For millions of people, managing periods is still associated with uncertainty and discomfort. Internal and market research indicate that unpredictable flow remains a major source of concern. In France, 38%⁽¹⁾ of women with medium to heavy flow report sudden gushes, rising to 60%⁽¹⁾ in the UK, while globally 6 in 10⁽²⁾ women report anxiety about leakage during sleep because of unpredictable flow. In addition, 1 in 3⁽³⁾ women experience sudden gushes, reinforcing the need for solutions that better respond to real-life unpredictability. This challenge is part of a broader menstrual health gap, where barriers such as stigma, lack of knowledge and unmet product needs continue to affect women’s well-being, confidence and participation in daily life.

^{(1) Global MUSE Research (UK, FR, MX, COL), 2021
(2) Global Period Sleep Gap Study 2023
(3) Ethnography / Think-tank / 2023 / 2-day diary / 26 Women // Gynecologist interview with 2 based in COL // Product & Use Test in COL / 2024
(4) Product and Use Test in COL and MX / 2024 & 2025 both day & night usage}