WESTERN Sydney University has secured a prestigious Gates Foundation grant to advance menstrual health innovation, with a particular emphasis on heavy menstrual bleeding.

Professor Robert Gorkin from the Translational Health Research Institute (THRI) will head an interdisciplinary team on the project titled ‘Innovating Menstrual Health Management: Implementing Clinically Informed Absorbency Standards and Digital Diaries’.

The initiative aims to improve how menstrual bleeding is understood and when it may signal a need for medical care.

Professor Gorkin noted that by co-developing absorbency benchmarking methodologies for menstrual products and intuitive digital tracking tools designed to support earlier detection of heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), the project aims to reduce stigma and confusion for those affected, while significantly improving quality of life for women globally.

“Too many women suffer in silence, and the stigma and lack of accessible, clear information in hygiene products make it difficult for women to know when blood loss requires clinical attention,” said Professor Gorkin.

“By creating practical tools to support women in self-monitoring their health and enabling clinicians to make more informed diagnoses, we’re looking to fill a critical gap in care.”

HMB is often underdiagnosed, with estimates suggesting it affects up to one in four women, particularly those in poorer countries, minority groups and other underserved people.

It is frequently associated with treatable underlying conditions and can impose serious physical, emotional, and social burdens (PD 20 Dec 2024).

“This project isn’t only about improving health outcomes, it’s about advancing equity,” Professor Gorkin concluded.

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