Medics 'should routinely collect details about patients' periods'

Menstrual cycle data should be routinely documented by healthcare professionals as it can provide useful information on both reproductive and general health in the population, experts have said.

- Tobi Thomas

Details including cycle length, regularity, intensity and duration of bleeding are not routinely collected in healthcare systems or research except when reproductive problems are being assessed.

According to experts writing in the Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Women's Health, lack of documentation has resulted in a relatively basic understanding of the impact of the menstrual cycle on health, as well as the underdiagnosis and neglect of concerns related to menstruation such as pain and heavy bleeding.

These menstrual cycle characteristics can be linked to conditions such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, polycystic ovarian syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

In England, information on a patient's menstrual cycle is not routinely collected by healthcare professionals or researchers, unlike other measures such as BMI, blood pressure and cholesterol.