By neglecting to collect data on menstruation, researchers are potentially missing key indicators of women’s health.
Menstruation is the “fifth vital sign” in the clinic. It’s time it becomes more than just an afterthought in the laboratory.
Author: Taytum Kahl
Taytum Kahl is a medical student at the University of Chicago and is passionate about sex and gender equity in medicine. She previously worked as a COVID-19 vaccine health educator in a free clinic in Milwaukee and also conducted preclinical research on sex differences in long-term opioid withdrawal at Marquette University. She currently serves as a board member for the Maria Shelter Free Clinic, which serves women experiencing homelessness.