Reframing Endometrial Physiology by Advanced Integrated Research

Overview

Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) affects 1 in 3 women and can significantly impact quality of life. Despite its prevalence, there is no accessible and accurate diagnostic test. This research will use wearable sensors, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and biological sample collection to identify changes in the uterus linked with HMB. The investigators aim to recruit approximately 130 participants across two study sites over three years, including people with and without HMB.

Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) affects up to one-third of women of reproductive age, with a greater prevalence than asthma or diabetes, yet it remains under-recognised and undertreated. HMB is both a symptom and a potential signal of underlying reproductive or systemic dysfunction, including coagulopathies, vascular fragility, inflammation, and abnormal uterine contractility. Its impact is profound, physically, emotionally, and socioeconomically, but current diagnostic practice relies heavily on subjective reporting. Objective assessment of blood loss is possible with the alkaline haematin test, the gold standard, but it is rarely used in clinical settings due to logistical barriers. This has led to misclassification in research and clinical care, limiting progress in understanding the mechanisms of HMB. Emerging evidence suggests that subtle abnormalities in uterine peristalsis, endometrial repair, and tissue composition may be detectable with advanced imaging and electrophysiology. The REPAIR study addresses this by integrating anatomical (MRI), functional (wearable electrophysiology), and biological (biosample analysis) measures in women with and without objectively confirmed HMB. This approach aims to establish reproducible physiological signatures that could form the basis of scalable, non-invasive diagnostics.

Conditions