Jill Wood, an instructor in the Penn State women's studies department, offered these as possible alternatives to tampons.

Alternatives

"Just because tampons are mainstream, doesn't mean that women don't have other choices."

Pads

"Some environmentalists don't want use them because they're disposable."

Cloth Pads

"They're reusable and there aren't any environmental effects.

Disposable "Keeper"

"It's becoming popular, especially when a couple wants to have vaginal-penile intercourse while the woman is menstruating. The Keeper keeps the blood up there. It's not a form of birth control, though."

Instead

"You don't have to run to the bathroom all the time to change it. And it's made with polyurethane. So far there are no health effects associated with them. There's still a risk of TSS because something is in the vagina and it can't cleanse itself. So bacteria builds up."

Sea Sponges

"They work like tampons and are natural products. After all, they were once living animals. There are also no chemicals. It works like an o.b. tampon. It could be used by women who like the idea of tampons, but not the risks associated with using them."