Insight
Study challenges menstrual taboo to promote more inclusive workplaces
A new study is the first to systematically examine how severe menstrual symptoms affect working life, exposing a major research gap and the need for more inclusive policies.
Researchers analysed global studies to identify common themes and to map the challenges women face at work.
The work, led by the University of Portsmouth, highlights how little research exists on workplace menstrual health despite evidence that 25 per cent of women experience severe symptoms.
These include cramps, breast tenderness, mood changes, headaches, fatigue and back pain, alongside heavy bleeding, painful periods, anaemia (low red blood cells), irregular cycles, fibroids (non-cancerous growths) and endometriosis (tissue similar to the womb lining growing outside the uterus).
Lead author Amtullah Oluwakanyinsola Adegoke said: “We need to recognise that women and girls menstruate – it’s a natural part of life.
“As members of society, their needs should be acknowledged as part of the life cycle.
“While menopause awareness has grown, menstrual health and endometriosis are still not widely understood.”
While analysing previous data, the researchers found a survey of more than 42,000 women aged 15 to 45 which revealed that one in three experienced symptoms severe enough to interfere with daily activities, including work.
Researchers identified three themes: impact on women’s workplace wellbeing and quality of life; presenteeism and absenteeism linked to symptoms; and organisational practices, policies and menstrual health inclusion programmes.
The study found that supported employees are more productive, take fewer sick days, stay in their roles longer and engage more.
Poor menstrual health support can lead to depression, poor concentration, reduced performance and an overall negative effect on wellbeing.
Only 18 per cent of organisations include some form of menstrual health support within their wellbeing initiatives, and just 12 per cent provide dedicated support.
Professor Karen Johnston from the University of Portsmouth said: “Menstrual health remains a largely neglected area of research.
“The majority of existing studies in medical journals focus on clinical aspects, highlighting the need to use menopause research to support the argument for menstruation. Although other topics have received increased attention in the UK, menstrual health continues to be underexplored.
“It shouldn’t be a taboo topic – it should be part of an organisation’s health and wellbeing agenda.
“Alongside training, organisations should explore flexible working and ways to support employees experiencing severe menstrual problems.”
The study emphasised the importance of creating more inclusive workplaces through supportive measures such as menstrual leave, flexible working, access to hygiene products and encouraging open conversations.
In the UK, there is no legal requirement for paid menstrual leave, so employees typically use standard sick leave.
An overlooked fat-derived hormone may drive higher breast cancer death risk in postmenopausal women with obesity, an analysis suggests.
The review identifies oestrone, a form of oestrogen produced in fat tissue, as a major driver of oestrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer, the most common and deadly form of the disease in postmenopausal women.
ER+ means the cancer grows in response to oestrogen. It also raises the possibility that treatment could be improved with the addition of weight-loss drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists.
The analysis was led by Joyce Slingerland, who co-leads the Cancer Host Interaction Program at Georgetown University’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in the US.
She said postmenopausal women with obesity are more likely to be diagnosed with ER+ breast cancer and are two to three times more likely to die from it.
Slingerland said: “That’s particularly concerning because it’s estimated that obesity will affect nearly half of women in the United States by the end of the decade.”
Before menopause, the most abundant oestrogen in women is 17β-oestradiol, produced primarily by the ovaries.
After menopause, its levels fall dramatically and oestrone becomes the most abundant form circulating in the blood.
Despite their similar chemical structure, the research suggests these two forms of oestrogen behave very differently.
While 17β-oestradiol turns on genes that reduce inflammation, oestrone does the opposite, activating genes that trigger intense inflammatory activity.
In the context of obesity, levels of oestrone are two to four times higher in fat, breast and other tissues.
The analysis suggests these elevated levels set off a cascade that causes precancerous changes and activates cancer-fuelling genes.
Previous research by the team showed that oestrone-fuelled inflammation activates genes involved in a process that promotes cancer spread.
When researchers treated obese mice with ER+ breast cancer with oestrone, their tumours grew faster and rapidly spread throughout the body compared with mice treated with 17β-oestradiol.
Slingerland said: “Our work has provided some of the causal links between oestrone and the worse outcomes seen in postmenopausal women with ER-positive breast cancer who are obese.
“Simply put, these two oestrogens are not equal to each other.”
The author argues that clinical studies of GLP-1 drugs in women with ER+ breast cancer who have obesity are a logical next step.
Slingerland said: “The GLP-1 drugs have revolutionised weight loss.
“Because of oestrone’s powerful inflammatory effects in fat, there’s real potential that, by inducing weight loss, GLP-1 drugs can pump the brakes on oestrone’s cancer-fuelling behaviour.”
Fertility finance platform Sunfish has expanded its partnership with US clinic network Ivy Fertility to support patients across all 28 of its locations.
The deal will give all Ivy patients access to Sunfish’s Financial Hub, a platform designed to help people navigate the costs of medically assisted fertility care, as well as its loan marketplace and network of partner lenders.
Select clinics will also offer Sunfish’s IVF Success Program, which uses biodata to create customised flat-fee IVF bundles. IVF (in vitro fertilisation) involves fertilising an egg in a lab and transferring the embryo to the uterus.
Angela Rastegar, chief executive and co-founder of Sunfish, said: “Ivy was one of our first clinic partners, and three years and hundreds of patients later, we’re thrilled to support even more families on their fertility journeys.
“As someone who has been through the process myself, I have always believed that IVF shouldn’t feel like a financial gamble, and now at Sunfish, we’re using data, AI, and design to make care more accessible and easier to navigate.
“This combination of predictive analytics and financial protection, paired with the exceptional patient care Ivy offers, is transforming how families and clinics think about fertility and financing.”
Sunfish says its approach is proving effective.
According to the company, 70.8 per cent of embryo transfers among its patients have resulted in a successful pregnancy and graduation to an obstetrician, compared with a national average of 54.3 per cent.
The firm also says twice as many patients without insurance have been able to start treatment at clinics offering its programme.
For patients using Sunfish’s IVF Success Program, the company’s predictive model uses AI and biodata to estimate the total cost from first consultation through to delivery.
The firm offers a cost guarantee and partial refund if treatment is unsuccessful.
Constance Rapson, chief growth officer at Ivy Fertility, said: “As a long-time Sunfish partner, we’ve seen how they are using new technology to make the patient experience excellent by providing greater financial support and clarity, ultimately helping more people go home with a baby.
“We’re excited to bring this innovative care to all of our patients.”
Financial barriers remain a significant obstacle to fertility treatment in the US.
Data suggests 54-65 per cent of prospective patients drop out of treatment, often due to financial strain.
Sunfish also announced an expansion of its Sunfish Cares initiative to all of its clinic partners, which contributes at least US$1,000 towards every new IVF Success Program patient at participating clinics through to the end of the year.
By Celine Vignal, co-founder of Seesaw Health
The past year marked a turning point in femtech.
After a decade of steady progress, 2025 delivered a wave of innovations that pushed women’s health technology into a more mature, data-driven, and clinically integrated era.
From AI-enhanced hormone analytics to nervous-system biofeedback, companies shifted away from generic wellness and moved toward precision, personalisation, and validated outcomes.
With women now representing more than 80 per cent of household healthcare decisions and nearly 50 per cent of the global workforce, the demand for tools that reflect biological realities and not just generalised averages, has never been stronger.
Major Developments in 2025: From Hormone Intelligence to Pelvic Care
One of the most notable advancements in 2025 was the rapid evolution of AI-powered fertility and hormone-tracking technologies.
Fertility platforms expanded beyond ovulation prediction to offer multi-hormone modeling, giving users clearer insights into perimenopause, thyroid interplay, and metabolic patterns.
The industry also saw a surge in devices capable of real-time hormone detection, supporting more personalised care for women across all life stages.
Menopause tech continued its expansion.
What began five years ago as symptom-logging apps has now grown into integrated care platforms offering telehealth, digital coaching, non-hormonal treatment plans, and AI-based flare-up predictions.
Companies are increasingly leveraging longitudinal data to help identify early markers for sleep disruptions, cardiovascular risk, and mood instability, issues that disproportionately affect midlife women yet have historically lacked attention.
Meanwhile, menstrual and pelvic-health technology advanced significantly.
In 2025, startups brought to market more precise ways to monitor menstrual patterns, pelvic floor function, and chronic conditions like endometriosis.
We saw a rise in devices that combine sensor technology with therapeutic guidance. This reflects a deeper shift: women’s health problems long dismissed as “normal” are now being re-examined through a scientific lens, supported by better data and better tools.
Maternal health also benefited from this momentum.
Remote monitoring platforms now help track blood pressure, glucose variability, and stress biomarkers throughout pregnancy and postpartum, improving early detection for conditions like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.
Importantly, many of these solutions are being built with inclusivity in mind, aiming to reduce disparities that have persisted for decades.
The Role of Nervous-System Data in Personal Health
Throughout 2025, the value of autonomic data—the signals that reflect how the body responds to stress—gained recognition as a critical element of women’s health.
New biosensors and software have made it possible to measure parasympathetic activity in real time, offering a window into how the nervous system modulates inflammation, pain, hormonal stability, and emotional regulation.
This represents a major shift: instead of using stress-reduction apps that rely solely on self-report or generic protocols, people can now see how their body responds physiologically in the moment.
Beyond wellness applications, this kind of data has important potential for chronic conditions that affect women disproportionately.
Autonomic dysregulation plays a role in migraines, IBS, endometriosis, PCOS, anxiety disorders, and perimenopause symptoms.
Tools that help women understand and regulate their stress response could become a critical layer of preventive care.
Predictions for 2026: Relying on Body Data
1. Nervous-system biomarkers will become as common as heart-rate data
In 2026, real-time stress measures, such as vagal tone, respiratory patterns, and autonomic balance, will increasingly appear in wearables and therapeutic devices.
Seesaw Health is one example of this trend, offering sensor-driven insights into parasympathetic activity to personalise breathwork and recovery.
We’re also seeing early signals from devices integrating sensors directly into earbuds and ambient sensors that adapt lighting and sound based on autonomic patterns.
2. Pelvic and menstrual health will enter a precision-care era
Expect more clinical validation and early-detection tools.
Startups are already piloting AI-powered ultrasound analysis for early endometriosis suspicion and pelvic-floor trainers like Perifit that adjust programmes based on muscle response rather than user guesswork.
High-resolution menstrual-mapping platforms will expand beyond risk scoring to offer cycle-specific care recommendations.
3. AI-driven coaching will personalise daily health decisions
Virtual health assistants will combine biological data with contextual signals to offer just-in-time guidance like Maven Clinic.
Some tools are already experimenting with flare-up prediction for PMDD or endometriosis, and with workout-modification engines that adapt intensity based on inflammation, sleep debt, and stress load.
As these models mature, daily self-care routines could become far more adaptive.
4. Menopause platforms will formalise into mainstream care
With over one billion women projected to be in perimenopause or menopause by 2030, insurers and health systems are beginning to integrate menopause-specific care pathways.
Tools offering cognitive-support modules, cardiovascular risk tracking, and metabolic change monitoring will likely become standard, especially those like Elektra Health combining telemedicine care with evidence-based education.
5. The consumer–clinician bridge will narrow
Women increasingly expect their digital tools to generate data they can share with providers.
In 2026, more apps will automatically produce structured summaries for clinicians, covering pain patterns, autonomic signals, cycle changes like Mira Fertility, or medication effects.
Early pilots are underway exploring integration of pelvic sensor data into PT workflows and autonomic summaries into functional medicine assessments.
About the Author
Celine Vignal is the co-founder of Seesaw Health focused on female physiology, stress regulation, and preventive care.
Her work centers on translating complex nervous-system science into accessible tools and biofeedback parasympathetic breathwork methods that support everyday resilience and nervous system balance.
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