Innovating Menstrual Health Management: Clinically Informed Absorbency Standards and Digital Diaries

Robert Gorkin of Western Sydney University in Australia will develop a clinically relevant qualitative measure of absorbency for menstrual health and hygiene products together with a digital tool incorporating this measure to help women self-identify when their menstrual bleeding requires clinical attention. They will conduct workshops to gather end-user requirements from consumers and clinicians, while defining target technical specifications. Collaborating with the company Enersol, they will evaluate the latest absorbency testing methods to establish a comprehensive testing methodology useful across pads, tampons, and period underwear. Incorporating this measurement system, they will develop a user-friendly digital diary for women to track their menstrual bleeding, guided by relevant existing web- and application-based tools. They will then perform a pilot trial at a clinic, comparing women with normal versus abnormal uterine bleeding, to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and clinical benefit of their menstrual health management system.