Researchers have developed a promising new detection device using something most would consider to be a waste product, hopefully bridging the gap between affordable diagnostic practices and women all around the world.

When it comes to our health, we’re lucky to be living in a time of ever-increasing research and innovation, with each discovery, study, and trial bringing mankind one step closer to eradicating and treating all kinds of life-threatening illnesses. 

But much like our approach to technology, the more advanced our knowledge and application of medicine has become, the faster we demand answers and information. 

Now, a new device developed by researchers at ETH Zurich is set to change the face of women’s health forever, efficiently detecting health biomarkers using only menstrual blood and sanitary napkins. 

How does it work?

The device, known as MenstruAI, is set to be a simple, non-invasive and affordable diagnostic alternative for women, and has been designed to seamlessly record health data in everyday life. 

Unlike existing diagnostic methods, which can be time-consuming, uncomfortable and expensive, MenstruAI requires a person to simply place an integrated non-electronic sensor inside a sanitary pad and wear it as usual. 

Once it’s time to change the pad, users need to take a picture of the used sanitary pad with their smartphone, where they will be able to analyse the result on the device’s corresponding app. 

What can menstrual blood tell us?

Most diagnostic health tests conducted today analyse biomarkers found in blood or urine, among other bodily fluids. Until now, menstrual blood has not been considered to be anything other than a waste product with no diagnostic benefit, despite being produced by roughly half of the population. 

But unlike regular blood, which primarily consists of plasma and blood cells, menstrual fluid contains a complex mixture of uterine tissue, cervical mucus and blood. 

Containing hundreds of proteins, many of which can be indicators of numerous diseases such as endometriosis and ovarian cancer, menstrual blood carries more information about women’s health than most may think. 

“To date, menstrual blood has been regarded as waste. We are showing that it is a valuable source of information,” says Lucas Dosnon, doctoral student and researcher involved in the development of ETH Zurich’s revolutionary new device. 

“We are showing that it is a valuable source of information. Courageous projects [like this one] are called for to break down existing patterns of behaviour to ensure that women’s health finally takes the place it deserves.”

Much like a rapid antigen COVID-19 test, the device is a simple, paper-based diagnostic platform that can detect and quantify the target substance in a liquid sample. 

The results of the device’s preliminary testing and trial stage, as well as commentary by the study’s lead authors and researchers, have been published in the journal Advanced Science.

When designing the diagnostic device, researchers focused on three specific women’s health biomarkers: C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of infection and inflammation; CA-125, a marker associated with endometriosis; and CEA, a marker associated with gynecological cancers. 

When these specific biomarkers in the menstrual blood come into contact the the test strip located in the wearable device, a coloured indicator appears, with its intensity dependent on the concentration of the biomarker. 

The results can be seen with the naked eye or can be further analysed through the smartphone-compatible app. “The app also recognises subtle differences, such as the amount of proteins present, and makes the result objectively measurable,” Dosnon explains.

“Right from the outset, the aim was to develop a solution that can also be used in regions with poor healthcare provision and would be as cost-effective as possible, potentially enabling population-based screening,” says Inge Herrmann, PhD, corresponding author of the study and head of The Ingenuity Lab Zurich. 

“MenstruAI can revolutionise women’s health by offering a non-invasive, affordable, and accessible health monitoring method, democratizing healthcare, and enhancing service availability and equity.”

While only in its initial testing phase now, researchers emphasise that even if the device is cleared for everyday use under real-life conditions, it is not designed to replace existing diagnostic tests. 

In other words, MenstruAI should be viewed more as an early warning system to alert women to potential health issues and should always be followed by a visit with a medical professional.