Menstrual disc and methods of use

1. A menstrual disc, comprising:

an inner rim operably connected with a pull tab and a central catch portion, wherein the inner rim and the pull tab form a generally C-shape opening;

the central catch portion operably connected with an outer rim including at least one grip portion and a curved top portion;

wherein the outer rim is a semi-firm and compliant rim that is configured to operate to fold inward towards an axis of the menstrual disc to conform to a folded configuration from an open configuration;

the axis runs from a front portion of the menstrual disc to a back portion; the at least one grip portion is positioned perpendicular to the axis to permit folding of the menstrual disc inwards towards the axis;

the central catch portion is configured to be operable to contain a menstrual fluid in the open configuration and the folded configuration;

wherein the pull tab includes an underside groove and a sloped portion extending downward from the inner rim to the central catch portion; the underside groove includes a width U 1 and a depth U 2 , wherein the combination of the underside groove, the inner rim and a portion of the outer rim are sized to be configured to allow a user to grip two or more of the pull tab, the inner rim and the outer rim, to withdraw the menstrual disc from the vagina; the underside groove and the sloped portion configured to improve the grip of the user; and wherein the top of the pull tab does not extend above the top of the outer rim and the inner rim.

2. The menstrual disc of claim 1 , wherein the outer rim include a rim thickness R 1 and a rim height H 1 , and the ratio of the rim height H 1 and rim thickness R 1 is between about 0.9 and about 2.0.

3. The menstrual disc of claim 1 , wherein the outer rim include a rim thickness R 1 and a rim height H 1 , and the ratio of the rim height H 1 and rim thickness R 1 is about 1.83.

4. The menstrual disc of claim 2 , wherein the thickness R 1 is between about 5.0 mm and about 6.0 mm.

5. The menstrual disc of claim 3 , wherein the menstrual disc includes a diameter D 1 , and the menstrual disc includes a disc height H 2 , wherein the diameter D 1 is between about 60 mm and 70 mm, the rim height H 1 is between about 9 mm and about 14 mm, and the disc height H 2 is between about 28 mm and about 35 mm.

6. The menstrual disc of claim 1 , wherein the sloped portion of the pull tab forms a concave portion with respect to the central catch portion.

7. The menstrual disc of claim 6 , wherein the textured surface includes a plurality of tabs designed with a raised geometric component.

8. The menstrual disc of claim 6 , wherein the width U 1 and the depth U 2 are between about 9 mm and about 15 mm; the sloped portion includes a width S 1 between about 0.5 mm and about 1.5 mm, the width S 1 is greater than a thickness of the central catch portion.

9. The menstrual disc of claim 8 , wherein the rim portion includes a triangular thickness profile; the outer rim includes a semi-rim stiffness and a thinner thickness on a bottom portion of the rim portion.

10. The menstrual disc of claim 9 , wherein the central catch portion includes a catch height C 1 and a catch capacity; wherein the catch capacity is between about 35 ml and about 50 ml when the central catch portion sits within the vaginal canal; and the central catch portion includes a catch thickness C 2 between about 0.1 mm and about 0.7 mm; the catch thickness C 2 expands to a rim thickness C 3 when the central catch portion connects with the outer rim; wherein the rim thickness C 3 is between about 0.8 mm and about 1.2 mm.

11. The menstrual disc of claim 9 , wherein the grip portion comprises at least two concentric circles.

12. The menstrual disc of claim 11 , wherein the outer rim comprises an outer lip disposed around the outer surface of the outer rim and between the outer surface of the central catch.

13. A method of using a menstrual disc, comprising:

providing a menstrual disc according to claim 1 ;

folding the menstrual disc to a folded configuration to a diameter D 2 from a diameter D 1 from an open configuration, wherein the diameter D 2 of the folded configuration is between about 15 mm and about 35 mm;

inserting the diameter D 2 of the folded configuration through the vagina;

tucking a front rim of the menstrual disc up and behind the pubic bone to position the menstrual disc;

unfolding the menstrual disc to the open configuration once the menstrual disc is under the cervix;

resting a top rim portion of the menstrual disc within the fornix and the menstrual Disc sits within the fornix without a seal; and

containing menstrual fluid with the menstrual disc in the open configuration and the folded configuration during a menstrual period.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the top rim portion include a rim thickness R 1 and a rim height H 1 , and the ratio of the rim height H 1 and rim thickness R 1 is between about 0.9 and about 2.0.

15. The method of claim 13 , collecting menstrual fluid for a time period up to about 12 hours.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising emptying the menstrual fluid while the menstrual disc is disposed within the fornix by the user gripping a pull tab and tilting the pull tab downwards towards the vaginal opening to remove the menstrual fluid.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising removing the menstrual disc from the vagina with an underside groove of the menstrual Disc by allowing a user to hook their finger on an underside on the menstrual disc and sliding the menstrual disc out of the vagina.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the folded configuration is a generally FIG. 8 configuration.

19. The Menstrual disc of claim 1 , wherein the sloped portion includes a width S 1 that is sized to be greater than the thickness of the central catch portion to permit greater stiffness that the thickness of the central catch portion.