Amid a dearth of thorough research on menstrual blood, Dr.Sara Naseri, founder of the healthcare startup Qvin, aspires to use this untapped resource for groundbreaking healthcare insights.
Despite the common occurrence of menstruation, there has been little scientific investigation into menstrual blood. Dr. Naseri’s pioneering enterprise aims to bridge this gap by conducting diverse studies to discover significant correlations between menstrual blood and conventional blood samples gathered through venipuncture or finger prick.
Although a 2012 paper revealed the composition and structure of menstrual blood, disclosing 385 proteins unique to this fluid, the wider implications have not yet been examined. In addition to blood, menstrual effluent comprises cervical mucus, vaginal secretions and endometrial cells. The endometrium, the lining of the uterus that facilitates embryo implantation, thickens on a monthly basis. If pregnancy doesn’t occur, the lining is shed through menstruation.
Dr Naseri draws attention to the potential of menstrual blood for medical purposes, stating, “Blood is the most commonly utilised bodily fluid for health-related decisions. I wondered, ‘Women experience bleeding every month. Why hasn’t this blood been utilised for medical purposes?'” Qvin’s research
aims to uncover correlations between menstrual blood and conventional blood metrics. Preliminary findings are promising, but additional research is imperative.
If dependable correlations arise, menstrual blood testing may become an invaluable method for monitoring and diagnosing common health conditions. For example, if biological indicators reflect cholesterol or blood sugar levels, menstrual blood tests could provide a monthly means of monitoring cardiovascular health or diabetes.
Yet, the real potential lies in non-invasive diagnosis and treatment of female reproductive conditions. Inadequate research and societal taboos result in delayed diagnosis, limited treatment options, and unpleasant tests, which take their toll on women’s reproductive health.
Despite the fact that 31% of women suffer from severe reproductive health issues, research on reproductive conditions receives only 2.1% of medical research funding in the UK. Most of them opt not to seek medical assistance.
Endometriosis is a prime example of the difficulties encountered. Affecting approximately 10% of women and girls, the diagnosis of this condition can take up to 12 years and necessitates surgery. Awareness has been bolstered by advocates such as Lena Dunham and Padma Lakshmi, but effective treatments are still difficult to come by.
Home-based testing solutions could revolutionise the diagnosis process for such conditions. Ashley Draper, a participant in Qvin’s cervical cancer screening trial, emphasises the requirement for less invasive options. Standard cervical cancer tests can be intrusive, often causing pain. Those with abnormal results are required to undergo the procedure every six months.
