“When I go shopping,” he writes in TIME journalist Alana Samuels, “even if I’m only there for broccoli, I always pass in the aisle where they sell women’s goods. Why, despite the fact that most of the things that disappeared during the pandemic, such as toilet paper, yeast and flour, have returned sanitary napkins are still in short supply on the shelves. Now I have a strange delight seeing this large empty space on the shelf, like a missing front tooth, where tampons should be. There is a shortage of sanitary pads in the US, on Twitter, users post photos of empty shelves. But this is not the only thing missing in this period: even powdered milk has become hard to find: Alleged pollution caused the closure of a major manufacturing plant in Michigan. So those who menstruate risk being left without pads, and parents without milk for newborns. What’s the matter?

According to sanitary napkin manufacturers, the problems stem from a shortage of factory personnel, traffic congestion and rising costs of the main raw materials used. This has implications, especially for the poorest sections of the population. Dana Marlow, Founder I support girls, an organization that provides menstrual products for people with financial difficulties, is reporting a sharp drop in sanitary pad donations in recent months. l“The organization received half of the smears this year compared to the same period last year and more than 60% less than in 2020.. “Our shelves are empty,” Marlowe said. NPR. Added to this is rising prices for sanitary pads, which, according to NielsenIQ, would rise by 10% due to inflation.

The point is that these supply chain issues affect women (and all menstruating people) the most and their physical and psychological health. Considered “only” women’s issues, these issues are still not given much importance, Marlowe says: they are seen as taboo to the point where it is difficult to draw attention to them. On the issue of milk powder, something is being done to reassure parents, who are rightly outraged that this issue is not being taken seriously.. President Biden on Wednesday invoked the Defense Production Act to ensure that powdered milk producers are at the forefront of whatever ingredients are needed. Biden also initiated Operation Formula Flight, ordering the Department of Defense to use its commercial airline contracts to expedite the delivery of milk powder from overseas. In this case the problem is, as he explains NPRdue to the fact that in the US the infant formula industry is a multi-billion dollar business dominated by a few companies with only four companies controlling about 90% of the market.

However, the underlying issue is broader: in the United States, all women’s reproductive health is currently under attack. While the Supreme Court’s decision has yet to be confirmed, IVGs are becoming more difficult in some states due to the lack of appropriate conditions. Menstrual health should be a priority, children’s health should be a priority, and in the same way, abortion protection should be a priority.