Cervical specimens for culturing for Staphylococcus aureus were obtained during menstruation and at midcycle from 40 users of tampons and twelve users of pads. Nine women (two users of pads and seven users of tampons) were colonized by S. aureus. Colonization rates of the cervix were similar for users of tampons and users of pads (18% and 17%, respectively). S. aureus was isolated more frequently during menstruation (17%) than at midcycle (5.8%). Six women had positive menstrual cultures without a positive midcycle culture, whereas no women had positive midcycle cultures and negative menstrual cultures. These observations indicate a significant (p less than 0.05) association of menses with staphylococcal colonization of the cervix.