In November, our colleagues at Bugando Medical Center in Mwanza, Tanzania published new research in the European Journal of Preventative Medicine on using FEMM protocols to help women with infertility.
Their paper is entitled “Abnormal Menstrual Chart Patterns, Their Treatment and Fertility Outcome Among Women with Hormonal Infertility at Bugando Medical Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania.”
The goal of the study was to help healthcare providers learn “how to manage patients with hormonal infertility in a simple, noninvasive, and inexpensive way.”
The research team recruited 230 women with hormonal infertility for their study. Over two-thirds of these patients were not ovulating. Researchers taught the women how to observe their cycle biomarkers, especially bleeding and cervical mucus, using the FEMM app.
Patients then met with a health provider once a month for three months. They received guidance on lifestyle changes that could help improve their cycles, such as diet and exercise. They also completed bloodwork to monitor their hormone levels.
The research team found that abnormal blood sugar levels, obesity, and abnormal thyroid hormone levels were all associated with infertility.
But that wasn’t the end of the story.
Using charting, hormonal management through medication, and lifestyle changes, many of the women were able to improve their cycles and ovulate. After just three months of treatment, 85.2% of the women showed improvement in cervical mucus consistency; 93.9% had normal bleeding patterns; and one-third conceived.
The paper notes, “Answers to infertility are hidden within the menstrual cycle patterns. Menstrual cycle charting and lifestyle changes should be incorporated as tools in managing women with infertility.”
Congratulations to the entire team at Bugando Medical Center on this latest publication! Physicians in Tanzania are doing incredible work bringing FEMM to the larger medical community.
Read More: Why choose the FEMM app?
