Potential for and challenges of menstrual blood as a non-invasive diagnostic specimen: current status and future directions

Abstract

Menstrual blood, which is often discarded as a waste product, has emerged as a valuable source of health information. The components of menstrual blood, such as endometrial cells, immune cells, proteins, and microbial signatures, provide insights into health. Studies have shown encouraging results for using menstrual blood to diagnose a variety of conditions, including hormonal imbalances, cervical cancer, endometriosis, chlamydia, diabetes, and other endocrine disorders. This review examines the potential of menstrual blood as a non-invasive diagnostic specimen, exploring its composition, promising applications, and recent advances. This review also discusses challenges to utilizing menstrual blood testing, including ethical considerations, the lack of standardized collection protocols, extensive validation studies, and the societal stigma around menstruation. Overcoming these challenges will open new avenues for personalized medicine and revolutionize healthcare for individuals who menstruate.