Put A Cup In It

Free Printable Cervix Ruler for Measuring Your Cervix For A Cup or Disc

Printable Ruler & Cervix Measurement Guide

A cervix ruler? Yes. Hear me out! I’m willing to bet that before you decided to try a menstrual cup (or disc), you never gave your cervix or measuring it a single thought. As a future cup user, you may suddenly find that not only is the word cervix thrown all around, but measuring it is somehow top of mind (and maybe a little anxiety-inducing.) Have no fear; I am here to answer all your questions and have you primed and ready in no time!

Why You Should Measure Your Cervix Height

Not only is measuring your cervix an empowering way to get to learn more about your body, but it can also provide sometimes crucial information about the size of the menstrual cup or disc that you will need. While plenty of people have an “average cervix” and may get lucky with several cups, that’s not always the case, and it’s best to be prepared.

Have a super high cervix? You’ll need a long cup to make removal easy!

Have a super low cervix? You’ll need something short to fit comfortably (or possibly to fit it at all!)

By knowing the height of your cervix, you can feel confident knowing that you can more accurately find a cup that will fit your body and meet your needs. Selecting a menstrual cup that fits entirely inside your vaginal canal without being too long (with or without a stem) is crucial for your comfort. The last thing you want is a cup that is too long and ends up sticking out of your vaginal opening — that will never do!

The Original Cervix Ruler, At Your Cervix Service

Our free printable cervix ruler is a handy device that provides a visual guide to your cervical height and a visual guide to the seemingly arbitrary ranges that define “low,” “average,” or “high.”

CLICK HERE to print your free cervix ruler!

Illustration of finding your cervix by put a cup in it

Do You Really Need A Ruler

Of course not, but it is more reliable than the knuckle method.

The Knuckle Method (of measuring your cervix)

First Knuckle: Low Cervix

Second Knuckle: Medium/Average Cervix

Third Knuckle: High Cervix

As you may have already guessed, this will vary greatly based on the size of your hands and the length of your fingers. While it’s an okay method, it still leaves room for error, and some people entirely in the dark.

Our cervix ruler, paired with our complete video guide on how to find and measure your cervix is the perfect combo for getting an accurate length the first time. I also suggest measuring with millimeters and referencing the Metric version of the Menstrual Cup Comparison Chart.

How To Use Our Printed Cervix Ruler to Measure Your Cervix

Step 1: Wash your hands (this is an activity best done in the shower)

Step 2: Insert a finger into the vagina and feel for the cervix while on your period (it feels like the tip of your nose)

Step 3: Use a thumb, mark the place with a pen, or remember how much of your finger was inside

Step 4: Align the printed ruler base to how far down your finger was inside and measure to the tip of your finger

measurementguide

Helpful Tips To Keep In Mind When Measuring Your Cervix

If you’re new to menstrual cups, use your new measurement of “low,” “average,” or “high,” and when taking our menstrual cup quiz (the first of its kind!) While your measurements are exact, keep in mind that there is some wiggle room in many cases — especially for those, like me, who have a tilted cervix and prefer to place their cup in such a way that the cervix dips into the cup a bit. Of course, this could mathematically make a cup “too long,” but this is where knowing your body helps. Now on to the tips!

  1. Measure on the first and last day of your period!
  2. Select a cup that will fit even on your lowest cervix day.
  3. The cervix moves throughout the cycle, and a cup too long on any day will be uncomfortable.
  4. When marking your place on the ruler, be sure to mark as close to the vaginal opening as possible (inside the labia minora) and not to the outside of the vulva) to ensure the cup you pick fits entirely inside your body.
  5. If you want to keep the stem attached, keep that in mind when choosing a cup.
  6. If you want to remove the stem, also keep that in mind when choosing a cup!

If you are a more experienced user using this decision-making tool to help find a new cup, definitely check our menstrual cup comparison chart. You can use your measurement and knowledge of prior cups you’ve tried to sort by length and then look for cups with measurements that meet or are shorter than the height of your cervix.

Instructions For Printing Your Free Cervix Ruler

Be sure your printer is accurate by comparing our printed ruler to a ruler or tape measure for best results, or use the handy “coins for scale” option. This PDF was designed to print at 8.5 x 11, standard printer paper size.

One Last Thing

This ruler is only a tool to help you know how high your cervix sits in order to choose the right menstrual cup (or disc) with more reliability. This tool is NOT meant for any medical evaluation or diagnosis. If you have more questions about your cervix location, consider asking your physician at your next pelvic exam or pap test.

I’d also be remiss if I failed to mention that a printable tattoo with measurement lines FOR YOUR FINGER was one idea that never saw the light of day. It was obviously going to be called “Put A Finger In It,” but that idea was shelved for practical reasons, cost reasons, and the risk of tattoo pieces coming off inside vaginas.

I hope this will help everyone and empower you to learn more about your anatomy and the cycle of menstruation as it pertains to your cervix. Another helpful resource is The Beautiful Cervix Project, a website dedicated to photos of the cervix!​

 

Originally published Sep 19, 2019, this post has been fully revised and updated!

5 Responses

  1. Thank you so much for this!! I did not realise height was an issue despite trying cups before but realising I had a low cervix and the cup I had was too long, things now make so much more sense.

    I think I sort of remember length being an issue but I was too afraid to trim the stem much initially as I’d never used anything inserted of any kind before and then was rather distracted by focusing on trying to counteract the pain of insertion/removal. Trying a softer more beginner friendly cup was on my radar but well I already had reusable pads I was comfortable with and no easy way to boil my cup at the time so it fell to the way side and has been collecting dust for years.

    Lately I’ve been considering cups again, even snagging a different cup to try when it was on special but thankfully haven’t opened it yet as it seems like it also would have been too long! Two bad cup experiences years apart would not have been great, so I’m really glad I discovered this before opening it! Also stumbled across an article about reusable disks so trying those next.

  2. Hey i have a question
    I took the quiz and filled my cervix height as 45-55 mm and the cups I was adviced have total length around 70 mm Or higher
    ( I understand whole cup with stem is supposed to be inside you)
    Whereas in one of your YouTube video, I learned that any cup having a length lower than the height of your cervix will work.. Which makes sense according to the placement in the body. ( which means right length should be around 50mm as my cervix height is a litter higher than this)
    So I’m confused now..

  3. A version scaled for A4 size paper would be helpful for those outside North America, where A4 is more commonly used.

    1. Yep. Absolutely. But not everyone has a ruler at home or one with precise small measurements that is easy to read. And this one is designed to measure in the same direction as a vertical finger so it’s a bit easier. Other than the paper it’s free and does make it easier to get an accurate measurement compared to a stiff metal measuring tape which is mostly what people have at home. But if you don’t need it you don’t need it.

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