Today, there are approximately 65 million women in America who deal with the monthly ritual of menstruation ? using feminine hygiene products, taking cramp relief medicine and feeling less than kind or beautiful. Though its initial arrival is recognized as a rite of passage, a period is most commonly known as a curse.

Historians report it wasn't always this easy. The tampon was not invented until 1936, and homemade pads were first used in the 19th century, leaving about 25,000 years where women were left to gather their own solutions.

Women in the past tended to menstruate less regularly due to more pregnancies, malnutrition and longer nursing periods. The Museum of Menstruation claims that until the 19th century, and into the early 20th century, most women would not wear any protection or underwear at all. Others would bleed into clothing or rags. Reprieve from mood swings, bloating and cramps was almost unheard of.

But capitalism, invention and women's rights have birthed a new generation of alternatives, rendering a period's effects almost undetectable. Barbara North, M.D., medical director of women's health company Instead, Inc. says the current wave of women's products is a direct reflection of women's needs.

?For a woman to compete in a man's world, she can't be hindered by the problems a period can pose,? said North. ?Women are unhappy with the range of options they've had until now, so they're seeking alternatives.?

The Instead Softcup, an FDA-cleared disposable menstrual cup, is among the alternatives. ?Until now, women have thought tampons or pads, that's it,? North added. ?But I've met women who've been unhappy with the choices available and were thrilled to see innovation in the form of menstrual cups, hormonal options or even the sponge. We're trying to make an often unpleasant thing bearable and even enjoyable.?

North explains that the Instead Softcup enables the wearer to have clean and ?enjoyable? sex while menstruating. This benefit is one that major women's magazines like Jane, Women's Health and Fitness, and Marie Claire have lauded. One author, Gabrielle Lichterman, founder of ?hormonology? also included in her acclaimed book 28 Days: A Daily Horoscope for Your Hormones.

Other media outlets, including Glamour, Self and The New York Times have featured the Softcup as one of the major innovations in feminine hygiene in recent history.

On the horizon, the Softcup is also strategically poised to bring another option to a popular area of interest for women ? fertility. Currently under review by the FDA as a fertility aid, the Softcup is already being dubbed the next big thing for promoting fertility in publications like Conceive, More and The New York Daily News.

More information on both the Softcup and periods is available online at www.softcup.com, where women can also tap Dr. North for their feminine health questions