Menstruation News and Research

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Menstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining (endometrium). It occurs on a regular basis in reproductive-age females of certain mammal species.

PMDD symptoms follow three distinct patterns, study finds

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a common mood disorder associated with the menstrual cycle. A new study published in Nature Communications shows that PMDD does not follow any universal pattern, and that there are three subtypes with different patterns of symptoms.

10 Nov 2026

Eating too much ultra-processed food? A study links it to worse PMS symptoms

A cross-sectional study of 607 young adult women in Turkey found that higher ultra-processed food consumption scores were associated with more severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, while non-judgmental and non-reactive mindful eating behaviors were linked to lower symptom severity. Mediterranean diet adherence was not independently associated with PMS severity, and the researchers cautioned that the findings cannot establish cause and effect.

10 Nov 2026

Longer reproductive lifespan and hormonal history may influence brain vascular health

A longer reproductive lifespan and a history of using birth control pills or menopausal hormone therapy were associated with certain signs of blood vessel health in the brain, according to a study published November 4, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

4 Nov 2026

Inherited high cholesterol linked to slightly higher pre-eclampsia risk

Women with the inherited cholesterol condition familial hypercholesterolemia may be at a slightly higher risk of developing pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy condition that can cause serious complications, according to a new study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

4 Nov 2026

From simple ovulation treatments to IVF, how doctors choose the right approach

A clinical review on female infertility discusses causes, IVF options, and complications, equipping clinicians to improve patient care and treatment outcomes.

2 Nov 2026

Women in perimenopause report more anxiety than other menopausal groups

Researchers reviewed 21 studies involving 24,523 women and found that perimenopausal and postmenopausal women had higher odds of reporting anxiety symptoms than premenopausal women. Their meta-analysis of 15 studies found the highest odds during perimenopause, but the cross-sectional evidence cannot establish that menopause causes anxiety.

25 Oct 2026

Women with bipolar disorder and regular cycles report worse premenstrual symptoms

Researchers have found that women with bipolar disorder who have regular menstrual cycles are more likely to report severe premenstrual symptoms than those with irregular cycles, according to preliminary research being presented at the 2026 ECNP Congress in Munich.

11 Oct 2026

Hormonal shifts alter brain patterns linked to female mood

During the menstrual cycle, when progesterone levels are higher, patterns of brain activity emerge that make it more difficult to distinguish between less and more emotionally demanding situations.

23 Sep 2026

Mifepristone offers effective emergency contraception with fewer side effects

Emergency contraception containing mifepristone prevents more pregnancies with fewer side effects than some other common emergency contraceptive pills such as levonorgestrel, according to a new Cochrane review involving 87 trials.

20 Sep 2026

Women with shorter reproductive lifespan face higher risk of developing bronchiectasis

Women with a shorter reproductive lifespan are at greater risk of developing bronchiectasis, according to a new study in the July 2026 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open access journal.

27 Aug 2026

Book reframes pregnancy loss as a natural trial-and-error process

According to a new book from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign anthropology professor Kate Clancy, pregnancy is necessarily fraught, involving a series of tests of egg, embryo and reproductive system viability, with potential losses at every stage.

24 Aug 2026

Exposure to fungicides and insecticides alters onset of puberty in girls

The study, which tracked more than 500 Spanish girls between the ages of 7 and 10, links the presence of certain fungicides in urine to early menarche and that of the insecticide chlorpyrifos to delayed menarche, highlighting the impact of pesticides on pubertal development.

31 Jul 2026

Experts recommend renaming PCOS to better reflect whole-body impacts

A condition affecting approximately 170 million adolescents and women worldwide has a new name – one that better reflects its complexity and far-reaching health impacts.

15 Jul 2026

New report outlines practical strategies to improve hematological care for women

A new report in The Lancet Haematology, led by Cleveland Clinic hematologist Bethany Samuelson Bannow, M.D., outlines practical strategies to improve diagnosis, care and outcomes globally for women and girls with hematological conditions, such as bleeding disorders, heavy menstrual bleeding, postpartum hemorrhage, thrombosis and maternal hematologic complications.

13 Jul 2026

The menstrual cycle changes heart-rate variability but not strength

Menstrual cycle phases influence heart autonomic regulation, showing HRV variations, yet muscle performance and mood states remain largely unchanged.

23 Jun 2026

Secondhand smoke exposure linked to higher blood cadmium levels

A new study finds that adults who simply breathe in secondhand cigarette smoke have about 1.5 times more of the toxin cadmium in their blood than people in smoke-free environments.

15 Jun 2026

New guideline recommends tailored care for precocious puberty

Some subgroups of children with precocious puberty-such as older girls with slowly progressing puberty-may not need the same level of testing or treatment, according to a new Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline released today.

14 Jun 2026

Aggressive healthcare chatbots push away cervical screening patients

Patients booking cervical screening appointments through an AI chatbot respond positively to friendliness and choice-oriented language, but are put off by over-messaging, pushy reminders and blurred human-AI boundaries, according to new research from the University of Surrey.

10 Jun 2026

Study links menstrual cycle timing to COVID vaccine side effects

A study of 1,474 Clue app users found that women vaccinated against COVID-19 during the follicular phase had higher odds of self-reported side effects than those vaccinated during the luteal phase.

8 Jun 2026