# Development of Multi-Platform Mobile App Technology for Real-Time Measurement of Menstrual Cycle Characteristics in Adolescents

> **NIH NIH R21** · RESEARCH INST NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSP · 2021 · $157,812

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
Abnormal uterine bleeding occurs in over 25% of adolescents. Establishing normative data for menstrual
bleeding would facilitate earlier diagnosis of abnormal bleeding and earlier interventions to improve health and
quality of life. Current data on duration and timing from menarche to the establishment of normal menstrual
cyclicity are sparse, and despite the known impact of race and obesity on timing of menarche, normative data
by race and body mass index are even more limited. Advancements such as smart phones enable greater access
to adolescents and decrease barriers to research on menstruation. Successful technology in this arena requires
a multi-platform application (app) that allows for transfer of HIPAA-compliant patient-level information directly to
researchers and demonstrates sustained patient engagement. The objective of this R21 application is to expand
upon our prior work by developing a multi-platform application, and testing compliance and engagement with the
app in younger adolescents with diversity in race and body weight. The rationale for this research is that
development of patient-directed electronic menstrual tracking technology with immediate and seamless
transition of data to researchers will enable the design of multiple longitudinal studies of menstrual bleeding
patterns. The proposed work is responsive to the NICHD's call for the “development of innovative tools and
technologies to measure menstrual cycle characteristics such as bleeding, pain, and menstrual irregularity.” The
specific aims of this application are: 1) develop a multi-platform menstrual tracking app to measure the degree
and duration of bleeding, irregularity, location and severity of pain (dysmenorrhea), and the psychosocial impact
of menses; and 2) test patient satisfaction, compliance, and sustained engagement with the app in a six-month
prospective cohort study of 10-14 year-old females, and evaluate the impact of patient age, race and body mass
index on these outcomes. The proposed work is innovative because our technology allows for the transfer of
patient-level menstrual data to investigators on a variety of domains and our patient population includes young
adolescents of diverse race and body weight. Completion of this R21 award will yield the following expected
outcomes: 1) a multi-platform menstrual tracking app with high patient usability and satisfaction ratings, and 2)
demonstration of the feasibility and initial sustainability of mobile electronic menstrual tracking in adolescents.
These outcomes will lead to submission of an R01 application to utilize the technology herein created to perform
a longitudinal assessment of race and weight-based norms of menstrual bleeding patterns during pubertal
progression. The proposed work is significant because it will yield a new application of technology that can be
used in multiple future research studies by our research team and others to both establish normal ranges of
men...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10173859
- **Project number:** 5R21HD099575-02
- **Recipient organization:** RESEARCH INST NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSP
- **Principal Investigator:** SARAH H OBRIEN
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $157,812
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-06-01 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10173859

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10173859, Development of Multi-Platform Mobile App Technology for Real-Time Measurement of Menstrual Cycle Characteristics in Adolescents (5R21HD099575-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10173859. Licensed CC0.

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