Period characteristics can indicate medical conditions and could inform preventive care, study finds
Menstrual cycle data should be routinely documented by healthcare professionals and researchers as it can be used as an indicator for other health issues, experts have said.
This information – which includes cycle length, regularity, intensity and duration of bleeding – is not routinely collected in healthcare systems or research except when reproductive issues are being assessed.
According to experts writing in the Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health, this lack of documentation has resulted in a relatively basic understanding of the impact of menstrual cycles on health, as well as the underdiagnosis and neglect of concerns related to menstruation such as pain and heavy bleeding.
These menstrual cycle characteristics can be indicators for conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, polycystic ovarian syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome.
