Menstrual Blood: A New Frontier for Accessible Disease Detection
A revolutionary point-of-care test analyzes biomarkers directly from menstrual blood, potentially offering a less invasive and more accessible path to disease monitoring and diagnosis.
Each month, approximately 1.8 billion people menstruate, and the blood lost during this process—often considered biological waste—holds a wealth of untapped diagnostic information. Scientists are increasingly recognizing the potential of menstrual blood as a viable sample for detecting biomarkers and monitoring health conditions, opening the door to more convenient and widespread testing. Historically, analyzing blood required samples to be sent to a laboratory for processing, a barrier to access for many.
“To put it in a nutshell, the field’s not very crowded,” explained a PhD candidate in mechanical engineering at ETH Zurich, who has been at the forefront of this emerging research area. This researcher, along with colleagues at Inge Herrmann’s lab, recently developed a groundbreaking point-of-care test capable of detecting biomarkers directly from menstrual blood. The innovation, detailed in a study published in Advanced Science in 2025, bypasses the need for traditional lab processing.
The new test utilizes a silicon casing integrated into a menstrual pad, housing a lateral flow assay to detect key biomarkers. This allows for direct analysis within the pad itself, offering a seamless and user-friendly experience. The researcher behind the technology has cofounded MenstruAI, a company dedicated to bringing this innovation to market.
Prior to analyzing menstrual blood, the team established baseline data by adding specific amounts of biomarkers to venous blood. This allowed for accurate quantification in subsequent tests. The initial focus was on three biomarkers: C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of infection and inflammation; carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), often elevated in gynecological cancers; and cancer antigen 125 (CA-125), also linked to gynecological cancers and endometriosis.
To ensure the test’s reliability during everyday use, volunteers wore the in-pad sensor for four hours during menstruation. Results confirmed the lateral flow tests functioned properly even with normal body movement. Participants reported no difference in comfort compared to standard sanitary pads.
A crucial component of the system is a smartphone app that analyzes images of the test results, determining the concentration of each biomarker. Testing confirmed the app accurately detected and quantified CRP, CEA, and CA-125 in menstrual blood samples.
While the initial results are promising, experts caution that a broader range of biomarkers is needed for clinical diagnosis. “This is a good proof of concept,” stated a reproductive health researcher at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health, who was not involved in the study. “However, to be truly useful, these biomarkers would need to be part of a larger panel. Relying on a single biomarker can be misleading, as conditions like ovarian cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease, and even pregnancy can all elevate CA-125 levels.”
Future research will focus on expanding the biomarker panel and conducting larger field studies to account for the natural variation in menstrual blood composition. The researcher noted that adding more biomarkers presents technical challenges, potentially increasing the risk of inaccurate readings and reducing test sensitivity.
Despite these challenges, the potential benefits are significant. The reproductive health researcher envisions these at-home tests as a valuable tool for ongoing disease monitoring and treatment evaluation. “Ideally, individuals could use these tests between annual checkups and consult their doctor if any concerning results are detected,” she said. “It gives us great hope for the future of women’s health. Right now, the uterus is like a big black box.”
