Exploring period blood’s regenerative potential

Period blood is often spoken about only in terms of what the body sheds each month. But growing research is looking at it differently, exploring whether this menstrual fluid could offer clues about tissue repair and even future medical treatments. While some studies suggest that components in period blood may support healing, doctors caution that this does not mean menstrual blood can be directly used on wounds..The first distinction lies in what menstrual blood actually contains. “Menstrual blood is not simply blood. It is a mixture of blood, shed endometrial tissue, cervical mucus, vaginal secretions, immune cells, proteins, DNA, RNA and extracellular vesicles. Compared with venous blood, it has different protein and cellular profiles,” says Dr Antharvedi Santhi, consultant obstetrics and gynaecologist at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderguda..The fluid also carries substances that have attracted the attention of researchers studying regeneration.