The Born in Bradford (BiB) research programme at Bradford Teaching Hospitals has launched CycleTrack, a major new study into menstrual health and the menstrual cycle.
The study aims to collect information on the full range of menstrual experiences, from people who experience no difficulties to those living with pain, heavy bleeding, and conditions such as endometriosis and fibroids.
It will help researchers to better understand what factors influence symptoms across the menstrual cycle, why some people experience more difficult periods than others, and how women can receive faster diagnoses and more effective treatment.
Any BiB participant aged 18 or over who currently has, or has previously had, periods is invited to join the study by completing the form on the website or calling the researcher team at 01274 274474. If you are unsure whether you are a Born in Bradford participant, you can still fill in the form and the research team will come back to you if you are eligible to take part.
Salma Chopdat, Community Research Coordinator at Born in Bradford says:
For too long, women’s experiences have been overlooked, leaving gaps in our understanding of how menstrual health affects everyday life, wellbeing, and healthcare outcomes.
Now BiB participants can help us to change this by sharing their experiences now or in the past. As a ‘thank you’ for taking part, participants will also receive a £10 voucher.
The participants who have periods can also take part in a second stage of the study, where they will be tracking their menstrual cycle over three months. This will provide more detailed information to complement the data and analyses of the CycleTrack first stage.
CycleTrack is a collaboration between BiB and the Universities of Exeter and Bristol. The initiative is supported through The Missed Vital Sign, Wellcome Leap’s $50 million program aiming to reduce the time women experience heavy menstrual bleeding from five years to five months through better measurement, diagnosis, and treatment.