How familiar are you with your cervix?
Having a solid grasp on your cervix—what it is, what it does, and even how it plays into the type of menstrual cup you choose—is incredibly helpful when it comes to your overall health and well-being.
Understanding Your Cervix
Your cervix is a small—but an important—part of your anatomy. Think of it like a tiny opening that acts as the crucial connection between your vagina and your uterus.
The very stuffy medical definition of a cervix describes it as a cylinder-shaped neck of tissue (yep, your uterus is being compared to a neck, don’t let that weird you out too much) that’s located in the lowermost portion of the uterus and is primarily composed of fibromuscular tissue that connects the vagina and the uterus.
If you’ve never googled a picture of a cervix, we highly suggest you give it a go when you feel comfortable doing so—seeing a diagram of it will help put that medical description into perspective for you (and will kind of clue you into why it’s sometimes described as a “donut”). The Beautiful Cervix Project has great examples of what a cervix looks like (Warning: Images on this site are NSFW)
Basically, your cervix is this amazing multi-functional part of your body that allows sexual fluids and menstrual fluids to flow in and out, which makes it an important part of both reproduction and menstruation.
Your cervix is a highly adaptable part of your body. The average cervix is around 3cm in diameter, but the firmness and size of your cervix will change depending on things like pregnancy, arousal, menstrual cycle, and of course, labor.
In fact, your cervix height will change throughout your menstrual cycle, including during your period and ovulation too.
While many people who menstruate share some similar cervix characteristics, no two cervixes are alike—which is why it’s so important to get to know yours and really understand what you’re working with.
What Does Your Cervix Have to Do with Your Perfect Menstrual Cup Fit?
Because every cervix is different, no single menstrual cup will fit everyone the same.
A perfect-fit menstrual cup should fit right below your cervix to collect your menstrual fluid while fitting totally inside your vagina for optimal comfort. If your menstrual cup fits correctly, it should be comfortable, effective, and be pretty unnoticeable.
An improperly fitting cup is going to be uncomfortable and ineffective—and one of the driving forces behind these issues is the use of a cup that doesn’t fit your cervix properly. An improperly fitting cup is also one of the primary reasons menstrual cups can leak!
Picking the perfect menstrual cup can be a challenge—especially if you’re new to the idea of cervix height. We put together a quick JUNE Cup Quiz (it should only take you about 2 minutes!) to help you answer some super important questions that should help guide you toward the perfect fit.
Before you take the quiz: We highly recommend you measure your cervix so you can better understand the uniqueness of your body! Not sure how to do that? No sweat—keep reading. We’re going to share a few tips to help you safely measure your cervix!
Measuring Your Cervix: A Few Quick Tips
Knowing how to measure your cervix is a total game changer when it comes to understanding your body and picking out the perfect-for-you menstrual cup.
We’ve laid out a few step-by-step instructions to help you figure it all out:
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Wash your hands thoroughly (don’t forget to scrub under your fingernails!)
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Find a comfortable position (squat, put one leg up, or as if you’re going to insert a tampon)
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Insert your longest finger (again, make sure it’s clean) into your vagina and move it slowly until you find the tip of your cervix—this tissue should feel firmer than your vaginal walls, kind of like the tip of your nose.
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Use your knuckles to determine the height of your cervix: if you can insert one finger joint and feel your cervix, you’ve got a low cervix. Two? You have an average height cervix. If you can fit your entire finger into your vagina before your cervix, you have a higher cervix.
As a quick reminder, your cervix height is subject to change based on your cycle, so don’t be afraid to check your cervix at different points during the month to see how things ebb and flow.
One measurement might not give you the most accurate picture of your cervix, so we recommend a few checks at different points in the month for a more comprehensive idea of your cervix.
Still feeling a little unsure about your cervix? Check with your doctor! At your next GYN appointment, ask your doctor to help you break down some of the mysteries surrounding your cervix—that’s what they’re there for!
Want to Find the Right Cup Fit? JUNE Can Help
As we mentioned before, we’ve got a helpful little quiz right here that should give you some guidance on the perfect-for-you cup size! Once you’ve got a better idea of the positioning and height of your cervix, you’ll be on your way to finding a comfortable option that ensures your cycle is simple, sustainable, and safe.
If you’re ready to start your JUNE journey, we suggest you take a look at our FAQ page, our list of sustainable JUNE products, and especially our Step-by-Step How to Use a Menstrual Cup Guide.
Still have questions about our cups, cervix positioning, and more? The JUNE team is here to help. We welcome any chance to chat with you. Email us at hello@thejunecup.com for more insight!