Femtech start-up launches virtual period pain clinic

The UK gynaecological health start-up Daye has launched a virtual period pain clinic to help women and assigned female at birth individuals identify the root cause of their period pain and manage symptoms.

Daye advocates menstrual pain is a profound health concern and that chronic pain sufferers need attention, support, and faster access to effective medical interventions.

In collaboration with NHS GPs, gynaecologists and chronic pelvic pain specialists, the female-founded startup has developed the new service called Period Pain Clinic (PPC) to help women understand and easily manage their period pain.

Nine in 10 women have suffered with period pain, and according to research from University College London (UCL), period pain can be as painful as having a heart attack.

Despite this, many of these women suffer in silence, with 57 per cent saying period pains have impacted their ability to work.

To provide a faster diagnosis of the root cause of people’s period pain, Daye’s new service conducts an assessment of a patient’s symptoms and providing private consultations with a range of specialists, including sexual health nurses, gynaecologists, pelvic pain and fertility specialists, nutritionists, dermatologists, breathwork coaches, acupuncturists.

The Period Pain Clinic aims to provide patients with a personalised period pain management plan, which combines holistic and pharmaceutical treatments, as well as easy to follow lifestyle modifications.

The platform, Daye says, also aims to address other connected symptoms such as infertility, hair loss, obesity, and severe acne and recommend interventions such as prescribed CBD tampons, TENS machines, pelvic floor trainers, acupuncture and hormonal contraception.

“This launch marks an important milestone in advancing the way we diagnose and treat gynaecological health conditions and a significant step towards not only redefining the narrative surrounding periods but also empowering millions of women and AFAB individuals to better understand, manage, and challenge the status quo surrounding their monthly pain,” said Valentina Milanova, founder of Daye.

“Like so many others, I’ve faced the dismissal of my period pain by medical professionals. My own experiences with ovarian cysts and the resultant pain were dismissed time and again. This led me to accept debilitating period pain as an unchangeable reality of my life.

“This should not be the case. Nobody’s menstrual pain should be dismissed, which is why we launched our Period Pain Clinic to ensure that nobody has to suffer in silence or be in the dark about the cause or management of their menstrual pain.”

A survey carried out by Daye found 50.7 per cent of women do not understand the causes of their menstrual pain while research shows that for chronic period pain sufferers and people with associated conditions such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, PCOS, and fibroids, the average time to be diagnosed is seven and a half years, leaving many individuals feeling like they are being ignored or disregarded by healthcare professionals.

Left undiagnosed and untreated, these conditions can cause complications, including increased difficulty getting pregnant and an increased risk of miscarriage.

Dr Melanie Bone, an obstetrician-gynaecologist (OB-GYN), said: “Women and AFAB individuals can go years without seeking a cause for their period pain, accepting it as an inevitable feature of their monthly cycle. Yet period pain can be caused by a number of serious conditions, such as endometriosis and PCOS, which can cause additional complications further down the line if left untreated.

“The launch of Daye’s Period Pain Clinic should help women to understand that period pain does not have to be an agonising fact of life. By understanding the causes, women will be able to get the help required to better manage their pain and drastically improve their quality of life.”