The co-PIs received the award to conduct research on heavy menstrual bleeding in India. Their study addresses Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (HMB), an overlooked contributor to anemia affecting up to 78% of women in some low-income settings. Using an ongoing NIH cohort of 1,500 women in rural Rajasthan (newly married women aged 18-25 and mothers-in-law aged 35-70), the study team will quantify HMB prevalence using validated scales, conduct qualitative interviews on lived experiences, and employ discrete choice experiments to determine treatment preferences between hormonal and non-hormonal options. This mixed-methods approach acknowledges the intersection of medical needs with cultural acceptability in patriarchal settings.
