We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

LabMedica

Download Mobile App
Recent News Expo Clinical Chem. Molecular Diagnostics Hematology Immunology Microbiology Pathology Technology Industry Focus

Menstrual Blood Testing Technology Eliminates Need for Finger Prick or Lab Blood Draw

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 11 Jan 2024
Image: Both the Q-Pad and A1c Test have received US FDA clearance (Photo courtesy of Qvin)
Image: Both the Q-Pad and A1c Test have received US FDA clearance (Photo courtesy of Qvin)

Traditional methods of blood testing require invasive procedures administered by medical professionals, and can be time-consuming as well as expensive. Not everyone has the time, access, and financial means to get laboratory results for blood work, however, billions of women globally have their period every single month. Until now, menstrual samples had never previously been explored as a diagnostic source for health information. Now, for the first time, a safe and simple technology allows menstrual blood samples to be used as an alternative to traditionally collected venous blood draws. This breakthrough provides an opportunity for testing important biomarkers for millions of menstruating women across the world.

Qvin (Menlo Park, CA, USA) has proved the clinical relevancy of menstrual blood for several important biomarkers. The company’s Q-Pad technology uses menstrual blood to gain health insights in a non-invasive, convenient manner and can be used for testing anywhere in the world. The Q-Pad was initially created to identify biomarkers for HPV and has expanded and identified additional biomarkers to test for, including pre/diabetes, anemia, fertility, perimenopause, endometriosis, and thyroid health. Each Q-Pad includes a removable strip; once the Q-Pad has sufficiently collected a menstrual sample, the removed collection strip is sent to a CLIA-Certified (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) laboratory for clinical testing. Users receive their results via the free and convenient Qvin app.

Q-Pad allows specimens to be submitted directly to the lab and receive reports on key health conditions that often go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed including pre/diabetes, anemia, fertility, perimenopause, endometriosis, and thyroid health. For instance, women seeking to understand their fertility status can soon monitor various reproductive hormones via menstrual blood using the Q-Pad. Qvin also offers the A1c Q-Pad Test Kit which measures the average blood sugar over a three-month period by testing the A1c biomarker for people with diabetes. Qvin, in collaboration with researchers at academic institutions, has published peer-reviewed research validating other biomarkers that can also be monitored. Both the Q-Pad and A1c Q-Pad Test Kit have received US FDA clearance.

"With the first ever FDA-cleared menstrual blood health test, Qvin is paving the way to important new opportunities for women's health and this is just the beginning," said Dr. Sara Naseri, Qvin Co-founder. "We are simplifying routine testing, and freeing up resources that can be used on providing care and ultimately our goal is to make health care much more accessible."

Gold Member
Quality Control Material
iPLEX Pro Exome QC Panel
POC Helicobacter Pylori Test Kit
Hepy Urease Test
6 Part Hematology Analyzer with RET + IPF
Mispa HX 88
Autoimmune Liver Diseases Assay
Microblot-Array Liver Profile Kit

Channels

Immunology

view channel
Image: Circulating tumor cells isolated from blood samples could help guide immunotherapy decisions (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Identifies Lung Cancer Patients Who Can Benefit from Immunotherapy Drug

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive disease with limited treatment options, and even newly approved immunotherapies do not benefit all patients. While immunotherapy can extend survival for some,... Read more

Industry

view channel
Image: The LIAISON NES molecular point-of-care platform (Photo courtesy of Diasorin)

Diasorin and Fisher Scientific Enter into US Distribution Agreement for Molecular POC Platform

Diasorin (Saluggia, Italy) has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Fisher Scientific, part of Thermo Fisher Scientific (Waltham, MA, USA), for the LIAISON NES molecular point-of-care... Read more