“What Stops Menstrual Bleeding? From Spiral Arteriole Hemodynamics to Heavy Menstrual Bleeding” - Raphaelle Dodart, Ph.D. Student, David Ku, Advisor

Abstract

Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is common, but the mechanisms that control blood loss during menstruation remain poorly understood. Computational analysis of menstrual blood loss and uterine vascular anatomy suggests that spiral arterioles are a plausible major source of menstrual bleeding. The high shear rates generated within these small vessels may also favor shear-induced platelet aggregation (SIPA), providing a potential mechanism for rapid hemostasis following endometrial shedding. An ongoing clinical study at Georgia Tech examines whether dysfunction in SIPA and primary hemostasis is present in a subset of women with HMB. This work connects spiral arteriole hemodynamics with clinical measurements of hemostatic function to better understand why menstrual bleeding becomes excessive in some women.

The Immunoengineering Training Seminar Series is supported by the NIH T32 Research Training Program in Immunoengineering and housed within the Center for Immunoengineering at Georgia Tech.