Menstrual cycle data ‘underused’ and should be on health records, experts say | Women’s health

The menstrual cycle data must be systematically documented by health professionals and researchers because they can be used as an indicator for other health problems, experts said.

This information – which includes the length of the cycle, the regularity, the intensity and the duration of bleeding – is not regularly collected in health systems or research, except when reproduction problems are assessed.

According to experts written in Lancet’s obstetrics, gynecology and women’s health, this lack of documentation has led to a relatively fundamental understanding of the impact of menstrual cycles on health, as well as the sub-diagnosis and the negligence of concerns related to menstruation such as pain and heavy bleeding.

These characteristics of the menstrual cycle can be indicators of conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, polycystic ovary syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and irritable colon syndrome.

In England, information on the menstrual cycle of a patient is not systematically collected by health professionals, unlike other measures such as BMI, blood pressure and cholesterol.

According to the largest survey of this type, more than a quarter of women in England live with a serious reoresic health problem, experts saying that “systemic, operational, structural and cultural problems” prevent women from accessing care.

Almost a fifth (19%) of women who participated in the study felt severe pain in the period last year, and 40% of respondents reported heavy menstrual bleeding.

Last year, a report by the Parliamentary Committee for Women and Equality revealed that women and girls harden years of pain because their breeding conditions are rejected due to “medical misogyny”.

Dr. Randee Thakar, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said: “Serious conditions such as fibroids and endometriosis can have a devastating impact on almost all aspects of a person’s life, including the impact of his physical and mental health, and their ability to work and socialize.

“Too often, systemic, operational, structural and cultural problems mean that women do not obtain the care they deserve and that our current system risks removing the health inequalities that we can see in these results.”

The authors of the study concluded: “The menstrual cycle is an underused but powerful tool for understanding gynecological and general health. It works as a vital sign in lifespan, providing crucial information that can be used to guide and monitor clinical treatment and symptom management and clarify preventive care and care.

“Recognition of the menstrual cycle as an essential health indicator will strengthen health services and will have an impact on research between disciplines. It is important to note that this recognition will also improve the health of women throughout their lives. ”

The period monitoring devices have been in demand in recent years, but there are concerns about personal data and information used by private companies. Public health organizations such as the NHS have been invited to develop their own rival applications to protect data.

The NHS England has been approached to comment.