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Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) affects millions of women worldwide and can negatively affect a woman's physical, emotional, and social well-being. Yet it remains under-recognised in settings with limited access to diagnostics and treatment. Effective management is hindered by lack of understanding of underlying causes (such as fibroids, bleeding disorders, endometrial dysfunction) and of standardised measurement methods.
The project forms part of the Grand Challenges initiative called ‘Accelerating Innovations to Address Heavy Menstrual Bleeding in Women in Low-Resource Settings’.
Sara’s team will focus on the epidemiology of HMB generating robust data to help define the scale and impact of the condition on gynaecological health and quality of life in women in low-resource settings. Other teams will focus research on biological mechanisms, measurement, diagnostics, and treatment – their goal to identify ways to increase acceptability and access to treatments.
The two-year study will combine primary data collection in selected low-resource regions with analysis of existing datasets. Sara said: ‘By harmonising data and working closely with healthcare providers in real-world settings, we aim to build a clearer picture of how heavy menstrual bleeding affects women in different settings. Better evidence is essential for guiding future diagnostic tools and service improvement.’
Grand Challenges is a family of initiatives fostering innovation to solve key global health and development problems. The Grand Challenges awards provide up to USD 150,000 per project to support early-stage research that can inform practical solutions. Findings from the Planetary Health Informatics project will contribute to the wider programme’s aims of developing accessible diagnostics, improving management of HMB, and strengthening menstrual health as a global public-health priority.
The team will share results with international partners, policymakers, and women’s-health organisations to support the development of scalable, evidence-based approaches to care.