Going with the flow: how menstrual blood could revolutionise healthcare

Menstrual blood has long been the unsung hero of bodily fluids – overlooked, underestimated, and often shrouded in stigma. For centuries, this monthly occurrence has been met with discomfort and embarrassment, its potential largely ignored. But what if menstrual blood could be more than just a monthly inconvenience? What if it could unlock new diagnostic possibilities?

Physician Dr Sara Naseri was raised in Denmark and is now based in the US. With a bold vision and a startup to match – Qvin – she set out to rethink what has long been dismissed as a mere nuisance. “Time is the most important prognostic factor for any condition,” she tells Positive News. “Yet, patients rarely visit the doctor.”

Blood plays a crucial role in medical diagnostics, offering valuable insights into numerous health conditions. Naseri began to explore how this vital information could be accessed more regularly and non-invasively, outside the traditional doctor’s office. Then it struck her: “Half the world’s population bleeds every single month. Why hasn’t anyone seriously considered menstrual blood as a diagnostic tool?”

She recognised that menstrual effluent, which includes not only blood but also vaginal secretions, cervical mucus and endometrial cells, could offer new diagnostic possibilities. Each month, the endometrium or uterine lining, thickens in preparation for a potential embryo. If pregnancy does not occur, this lining is shed through menstruation. By analysing these components, Naseri saw an opportunity to gain valuable insights into various health conditions.

The lack of data on menstrual blood highlights a broader issue: the gender health gap, which has left women’s health needs under-researched and inadequately addressed

This realisation led Naseri to uncover a significant research gap. “There was virtually no information about the diagnostic utility of menstrual blood published at the time,” she found. The lack of data highlights a broader issue: the gender health gap, which has left women’s health needs under-researched and inadequately addressed.

Historically, medical research has predominantly focused on male subjects, leading to a significant disparity in understanding and treating conditions that affect women and people who menstruate. By addressing this gap, innovations like Naseri’s are not only pioneering new diagnostic tools but also pushing for more inclusive research practices.

Determined to help fill this void, Naseri developed the now FDA-approved Q-Pad A1c Test, a device that looks like a regular menstrual pad but doubles as a stealthy health detective. “Our goal is to give people the tools they need to take control of their health,” Naseri explains.

The Q-Pad collects a small sample of menstrual blood, which is then analysed in a lab for specific biomarkers: indicators that can shed light on various health conditions. For instance, HbA1c is a marker used to monitor blood sugar levels over time, crucial for managing conditions like diabetes. 

The beauty of the Q-Pad is its simplicity. You just wear a menstrual pad like you normally would. The rest happens without you even noticing

While Qvin’s current focus is on HbA1c, the potential doesn’t stop there. Other tests are in development, including those for HPV, thyroid hormone levels, fertility issues, and menopause.

This innovation promises results with significantly less discomfort, making it a potential game-changer for those who prefer non-invasive methods due to religious beliefs, experiences of trauma, or conditions like vaginismus or vulvodynia. “The beauty of the Q-Pad is its simplicity,” Naseri says. “You just wear a menstrual pad like you normally would. The rest happens without you even noticing.”

A bloody, and global, revolution 

Building on this trend towards non-invasive diagnostic tools, other innovations are also making significant strides. Sânziana Foia is making her mark in the UK with Papcup, a design that uses menstrual blood as a diagnostic medium. Papcup offers a non-invasive, at-home method for detecting HPV, promising quicker results and significantly less discomfort compared to conventional smear tests. “If someone gets a positive HPV test, they might still need a full smear test for a complete diagnosis,” Foia told the BBC. “But we aim to break through that first barrier that women have towards getting their smear test.”

Meanwhile, research into endometriosis – a condition affecting one in 10 women – is revealing more about the diagnostic potential of menstrual blood. Traditionally, diagnosing endometriosis has required invasive surgery. However, scientists are now exploring how specific proteins and cells in menstrual blood might indicate the presence of this condition, offering hope for a non-invasive diagnostic method. 

In the US, the ROSE (Research OutSmarts Endometriosis) study is investigating menstrual effluent to better understand and detect endometriosis and its related infertility issues, aiming to develop non-invasive diagnostic methods and improved treatments.

Similarly, in Austria, the Diamens team has identified promising biomarkers in menstrual blood, which are now being used to develop an at-home test for diagnosing endometriosis. This advancement could significantly ease the diagnostic process for women, they say, eliminating the need for invasive procedures.

As these technologies gain traction, menstrual blood might just hold the key to breaking down barriers in health diagnostics. The future of healthcare is taking a bold turn, and in harnessing this potential lies the chance to make diagnostics more accessible, less invasive, and more inclusive.

Main image: Dr Sara Naseri, Qvin