From Workaround to Centerpiece: Translating Lived Experience into Perimenopause-Focused Menstrual Health Technologies
Journal
Proceedings of the 19th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies
ISSN
2184-4305
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2026-03
Author(s)
Abstract
Perimenopause is a prolonged and heterogeneous transition that can substantially affect health, well-being, and daily functioning, yet remains underrepresented in the design of Menstrual Health Technologies (MHTs). Existing MHTs often centre on fertility and contraception, offering limited support for midlife users and their changing needs. We foreground lived experience as a primary source of design insight, asking how individuals’ experiences of perimenopause can be translated into design needs and guiding considerations for more supportive MHTs. Therefore, this work analysed an online questionnaire with N=100 participants aged 45–55, spanning premenopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause; the survey captured current use of MHTs, key challenges, and desired functionalities. We combined these data with a focused review of existing MHTs and the academic literature to derive design considerations, which were visualised in a prototype. Our results show that physical and mental health symptoms are among the most significant challenges and that participants need support to understand their bodies, make sense of fluctuations over time, and actively manage their experiences. We argue for designs that (i) destigmatize perimenopause, (ii) embrace heterogeneity rather than one-size-fits-all solutions, (iii) minimize effort in everyday use, and (iv) move beyond passive logging towards holistic, anticipatory support.
HSG Classification
contribution to practical use / society
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications
Volume
1
Start page
614
End page
628
Event Title
Scale-IT-up 2026
Event Location
Marbella, Spain
Event Date
02.03 - 04-03.2026
Subject(s)
Division(s)