Even though sanitary pads were available during this time, they were much too expensive for most women, and they continued using more traditional methods. When they could be afforded, women were allowed to place money in a box so that they would not have to speak to the clerk and take a box of Kotex pads from the counter themselves. It took several years for disposable menstrual pads to become commonplace.
The earliest disposable pads were generally in the form of a cotton wool or similar fibrous rectangle covered with an absorbent liner. The liner ends were extended front and back so as to fit through loops in a special girdle or belt worn beneath undergarments. This design was notorious for slipping either forward or back of the intended position.
Later, an adhesive strip was placed on the bottom of the pad for attachment to the saddle of the panties, and this became a favoured method with women. The belted sanitary napkin quickly disappeared during the early 1980s, thank goodness.
Over the last twenty years, the sanitary pad industry has advanced by leaps and bounds. Gone are the days of bulky belts and diaper-like thickness. With the invention of more absorbent materials and better designs, pads are more comfortable and practical than ever. The invention of ‘wings’ keeps pads in place in the underwear, and the invention of ‘scented pads’ reduces odor.
Sanitary pads are the most widely used form of menstrual management, but they are still overpriced, particularly in developing countries.