Rethinking Period Products: Normalizing Menstrual Care With Niamh D’Arcy of Pads On a Roll

On this episode, Lauren Chiren welcomes Niamh D’Arcy - menstrual equity advocate, researcher and UK lead for Pads on a Roll - to discuss how menstrual education and product access shape our health journey from first bleed through perimenopause.Niamh shares her path from master’s dissertation on global menstrual education gaps to pioneering a simple innovation: individually-wrapped pads on a roll, just like toilet tissue, in every bathroom stall.Discover why reframing menstrual care as a facilities issue (not just a “women’s issue”) can eliminate period stigma, boost dignity and ensure everyone who menstruates has what they need, wherever they are.Whether you’re looking for menstrual education, period product accessibility, or a fresh perspective on normalizing menstruation in schools, workplaces and public spaces, this conversation delivers practical insights - and a bold vision - for the future of menstrual equity. Key TakeawaysLanguage & Empowerment: Why using precise terms like “dysmenorrhea” (painful periods) and understanding estrogen vs. progesterone can transform our ability to advocate for proper care.Global Education Gaps: Findings from Niamh’s master’s research - across 12 countries - revealed universal lack of menstrual education, fueling shame, misinformation and missed support.Facility-Level Solutions: How installing Pads on a Roll in every bathroom - alongside toilet tissue - shifts period products from “hidden” to essential public fixtures.Designing for Access: The importance of neutral branding, inclusive of all who menstruate, and accessible dispenser height so that pads are reachable to everyone, whether in schools, restaurants or offices.Collaboration & Advocacy: The power of women supporting women (and allies) from school mandates to workplace volunteer days, to build lasting, budget-protected infrastructure for free period products. [00:02:35] Menstrual health education movement.[00:05:32] Understanding polycystic ovarian syndrome.[00:08:40] Menstrual education and empowerment.[00:12:21] Understanding menstrual cycles in education.[00:14:48] Empathy in menstrual education.[00:17:13] Period products accessibility innovation.[00:22:08] Gender-neutral period product accessibility.[00:24:37] Changing toilet infrastructure for periods.[00:27:53] Facilities issue, not women's issue. Take Action!Help rewrite period policy and infrastructure in your community:Join the conversation: Follow Niamh on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/niamhdarcyRequest Pads on a Roll: Email [email protected] to bring dispensers to your facility - school, workplace or public venue Educate & Normalise: Share this episode and these ideas with your HR, facilities or health-education teams.Transform your career in women’s health:Visit https://www.womenofacertainstage.com/ to enroll in the CPD Certiifed Menopause Coach Diploma, book workplace strategy workshops & keynote talks, download menopause toolkits, build your Menopause Champion network.Schedule your free strategy call at https://bookme.name/womenofacertainstage/pod.Together, let’s normalise menstrual and menopausal care - making access to period products and expert support as routine and stigma-free as toilet paper, because it’s fundamental workplace care for half the population.