Menstrual Blood Donation for Endometriosis Research: A Cross-Sectional Survey on Women’s Willingness and Potential Barriers

Abstract

An anonymous online survey in French was used to assess if endometriosis patients would be as ready as unaffected women to donate their menstrual blood for biological research on endometriosis and evaluate potential barriers to such donation. It was distributed in September 2022 by social media and two mailing lists, including a French patient organization. The questionnaire assessed participant age and brief medical history (hormonal contraception, endometriosis diagnosis, type of endometriosis), menstrual experience (menstrual blood abundance, dysmenorrhea), and whether participants would donate menstrual blood. Women who self-declared with an established endometriosis diagnosis versus no endometriosis were compared. Seven hundred seventy-eight women answered the survey. Among women with menstruation (n = 568), 78% are willing to donate menstrual blood for research. Importantly, this proportion was higher in women who declared having an established endometriosis diagnosis (83%, n = 299) compared to self-declared unaffected women (68%, n = 134, p < 0.001). The previous use of a menstrual cup and dysmenorrhea were significantly associated with the willingness to donate menstrual blood, while the use of hormonal contraception was significantly associated with an unwillingness to donate. Only the previous use of the menstrual cup had a predictive value for menstrual blood donation. No significant relationship was observed between menstrual blood donation and age, heavy menstrual bleeding and in endometriosis patients, endometriosis subtypes. In conclusion, women affected or not by endometriosis are largely willing to donate their menstrual blood for research on endometriosis, dysmenorrhea is not a barrier for donation, and women who use a menstrual cup are the more likely to donate.