The science of menstrual blood.
Menstrual blood is one of the least studied body fluids. Here is what is known about it as a diagnostic sample: what it is, what the evidence shows, what is still being researched, and where it falls short.
The sampleMenstrual blood
Three samples in one: blood from the circulation, fluid from the cervix and vagina, and tissue from the lining of the uterus.
What it is and what it can reveal- The evidence
33 papers, summarized
7 studies by Qvin and 26 from groups around the world, each with a plain-language summary, the key numbers and what it does not show.
Browse the publications - The work
Research running now
Studies in the United States, the United Kingdom and Denmark, run by Qvin and with partners, from HPV to heavy menstrual bleeding.
See our research
Published, peer reviewed, in the open.
Only HbA1c monitoring in women with diabetes is FDA cleared today. The rest is research, and we label it that way.
- r = 0.949HbA1c in menstrual versus venous blood, in 172 womenBMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, 2022
- 43 of 46Clinician-positive high-risk HPV samples also positive on the Q-Pad, collected within two monthsObstetrics & Gynecology, 2022
- r = 0.91–0.96HbA1c, TSH, AMH, FSH and LH on the Q-Pad versus a blood drawF&S Reports, 2024
Careful claims, built on data.
- 01
Every marker earns its place
A result for one marker never carries over to another. Each is validated on its own, and some, like glucose in our first pilot, do not make the cut.
- 02
We publish
We write up our studies with the methods and the numbers, including the ones that are less flattering, and submit them for peer review.
- 03
We cover the whole field
Most of the papers we summarize are not ours. The evidence matters, whoever produced it.
- 04
We say what a study does not show
Every summary names its limits: the design, the size, the sample type, and whether it is a test or still research.
Start with these.
- Qvin research · HbA1c and hormones
HbA1c and hormones in menstrual blood
HbA1c, TSH, AMH, FSH and LH measured on the Q-Pad correlated with venous blood at r = 0.91 to 0.96.
F&S Reports, 2024 - Qvin research · HPV
HPV from self-collected menstrual blood
When collected within two months, the Q-Pad found high-risk HPV in 43 of 46 women with a positive clinician-collected cervical sample, and 94% of respondents preferred the pad.
Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2022 - The field · Endometriosis
Single-cell menstrual tissue in endometriosis
Uterine natural killer cells made up about 8% of menstrual effluent cells in women with endometriosis, against about 28% in controls.
BMC Medicine, 2022
Reviewed by the Qvin science team, .