Scientific Advisory Board
Dr. Jennifer Payne
Professor of psychiatry and vice chair of research, University of Virginia, Virginia, US
Sarah Garfinkel, PhD
Professor of cognitive neuroscience, University College London, UK
Sarah E. Hill, PhD
Associate professor of psychology, Texas Christian University, founder and director, Eos Wellness Labs, Texas, US
Liisa Hantsoo, PhD
Assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland, US
Jan Multmeier, PhD
Cognitive scientist, director of clinical strategy, Patient21, Germany
Dr. Matthew Fenech, PhD
Cofounder and chief medical officer at Una Health GmbH, Germany
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Research opportunities
We seek acclaimed scientists, institutions, universities, and research groups (incl. corporate research groups from different business fields) with in-depth subject-matter expertise and proven contributions to global health and well-being.
Science news
LinkedIn webinar
Back to Work: How to Provide the Postpartum Support Your Employees Need
LinkedIn webinar
A Scientist’s Guide to Making The Leap From Academia to Healthtech
Article
6 out of 10 Lithuanian Women Are Satisfied With Their Health: How Else Can We Improve This Indicator?
In collaboration with University of Adelaide
Menstrual Cycle Length and Patterns: Study Results
In collaboration with University of Adelaide
Research Project on Women’s Reproductive Health
In collaboration with Northwestern University
Flo and Northwestern University PCOS Study: First Results Revealed
Publications
2022
Peer-reviewed paper
University of Virginia
Key findings
- 45.2% of users reported missing, on average, 5.8 days of work due to their cycle.
- 48.4% do not feel supported by their manager, and 94.6% report no workplace benefit regarding their menstrual cycle.
- The Flo app helped 88.7% of users to feel prepared and more aware of their bodies and 77.6% to feel supported.
Key findings
- More than 84% of Flo users say the app improved their knowledge about menstrual cycles and pregnancy.
- 72.2% of users find “reading and/or watching articles and video sources in the app” as the most informative feature of the Flo app.
- Longer and more frequent Flo Premium users were even more likely to report improved knowledge and health.
Key findings
- Women in Ukraine reported increased stress after the Russian-Ukranian conflict started. At the same time, they reported pain less often.
- After the conflict started, women in Ukraine who reported stress were less likely to report pain. This finding is consistent with the phenomenon of stress-induced analgesia.
Key findings
- Cramps were the most common premenstrual symptom.
- Somatic, gastrointestinal, and negative mood symptoms were most common in the late luteal phase and least common in the midfollicular phase.
- Negative mood symptoms decreased throughout the follicular phase, while positive mood symptoms were most common in the late follicular phase.
Peer-reviewed paper
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and University of Virginia
Key findings
- Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in postpartum depression was found in 36 states of the USA.
- The increase in postpartum depressive symptoms was greater in the states with fewer deaths from COVID-19 and in the ones where unemployment rates for women were lower in 2020.
Risk Factors Associated with Postpartum Depressive Symptoms: A Multinational Study
Peer-reviewed paper
Johns Hopkins University
Key findings
- First-time mothers were more likely to report depressive symptoms than mothers with more children.
- Depressive symptoms were the highest among young mothers (18-24 years).
- Mothers of twins reported a higher burden of depressive symptoms than mothers of one child.
Premenstrual Symptoms Across the Lifespan in an International Sample: Data From a Mobile Application
Peer-reviewed paper
Key findings
- The most common PMS symptoms were food cravings (85.28%), mood swings or anxiety (64.18%), and fatigue (57.3%).
- Physical premenstrual symptoms increased with age.
- Premenstrual symptoms regarding anxiety and mood remained similar with age.
- How much premenstrual symptoms interfere with daily functioning every cycle varies across different countries.
2021
Characterization of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Among Flo App Users Around the World
Peer-reviewed paper
Northwestern University
Key findings
- The most common symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) vary across different countries.
- Bloating was the most frequently reported symptom among women with PCOS.
- Women were at least 3 times more likely to have a PCOS diagnosis if they bloat or have high blood cholesterol and glucose.
- A PCOS diagnosis is more common in women with a higher BMI.
2020
Relationship Between BMI and PCOS Symptoms Among Flo App Users in the United States
Poster presentations
Northwestern University
Key findings
- PCOS is more common as BMI increases.
- Having hirsutism increases the probability of PCOS by more than 3 times.
- The most common symptoms of PCOS vary across different BMI categories.
Peer-reviewed paper
Adelaide University
Key findings
- More than 90% of women typically have a cycle length of 21 to 35 days.
- Less than half — only 40% — of women have a usual cycle length of 27 to 29 days.
- Length and variation of the cycle are influenced more by women’s age than the body mass index.
- Less variation and shorter cycles were found in women older than 40.