When Dr Clara Maarup Prip, a urologist and gynaecologist at Aarhus University Hospital, encountered a rare case of kidney swelling (ureterohydronephrosis) caused by a menstrual cup, it was unlike anything she had seen before. The menstrual cup had been compressing the ureter where it enters the bladder, leading to a serious but rare complication. After searching the literature and finding only a handful of similar cases worldwide, Dr Maarup Prip documented the case and submitted the report titled Ureterohydronephrosis due to a menstrual cup to BMJ Case Reports , choosing the journal based on its reputation and guidance from experienced colleagues. What followed was a remarkable example of how a single clinical insight can spark global conversation and shape public and professional understanding. Clara M a a r u p P r i p , A a r h u s U n i v e r s i t y H o s p i t a l BMJ Case Reports doesn’t chase citations or impact factors— because case reports are typically not cited much in academic literature. But that doesn’t mean they lack impact. It just means we measure it differently—in ways that reflect their real-world value to clinical practice, education, and patient safety.
Spotlight on safety A case report that made global headlines
R aised global awareness of a rare but serious risk (ureterohydronephrosis) linked to menstrual cup use
When Dr Clara Maarup Prip, a urologist and gynaecologist at Aarhus University Hospital, encountered a rare case of kidney swelling (ureterohydronephrosis) caused by a menstrual cup, it was unlike anything she had seen before. The menstrual cup had been compressing the ureter where it enters the bladder, leading to a serious but rare complication. After searching the literature and finding only a handful of similar cases worldwide, Dr Maarup Prip documented the case and submitted the report titled Ureterohydronephrosis due to a menstrual cup to BMJ Case Reports , choosing the journal based on its reputation and guidance from experienced colleagues. What followed was a remarkable example of how a single clinical insight can spark global conversation and shape public and professional understanding. BMJ Case Reports doesn’t chase citations or impact factors— because case reports are typically not cited much in academic literature. But that doesn’t mean they lack impact. It just means we measure it differently—in ways that reflect their real-world value to clinical practice, education, and patient safety.
25,000+ views in the first month alone
29 media stories across 23 major outlets—including BBC News, Metro, the Daily Mirror and Medscape Featured on the BBC World Service Newshour programme and picked up by journalists in the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States of America Sparked four opinion pieces in the UK, the US, and Russia, prompting professional and public discussion
Altmetric score of 218 — placing it in the top 5% of all tracked research outputs
Triggered practical guidance: many news outlets included safety advice and how-to videos for the public Demonstrated value without a grant — no funding required, just a sharp clinical eye and the right publishing partne r
Clara Maarup Prip, Aarhus University Hospital We weren't funded, and it didn’t take long to write. But the response shows just how much value a single case report can bring.” Prip CM, Jakobsen LK. Ureterohydronephrosis due to a menstrual cup BMJ Case Reports CP 2025;18:e262035
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