Towards improved menstrual health: the impact of period products on reproductive tract infections

Karan Babbar and Manini Ojha

Oxford Development Studies, 2026, vol. 54, issue 2, 167-193

Abstract: We examine the relationship between the use of period products and reproductive tract infections utilizing the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019–21) for India. To address endogeneity concerns in an OLS approach, we employ an instrumental variable strategy that exploits exogenous variation in women’s average exposure to television in neighbouring households. Conditional on a comprehensive set of controls, we find that the use of period products reduces the likelihood of contracting any RTI by 16 percentage points. Our findings are robust to alternative specifications, sample restrictions, and the inclusion of additional covariates. We further assess the sensitivity of our estimates by allowing the instrument to be plausibly exogenous, thereby relaxing the strict exclusion restriction. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that while the effects are broadly consistent across caste, class, and wealth groups, rural women and those aged 20–24 remain key populations requiring targeted informational and policy interventions.

Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.1080/13600818.2026.2613965

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