Last week, Poppy travelled to Devon for the inaugural 4M Conference at the University of Exeter. More than 150 people joined from academia, healthcare, charity and industry, to learn about the latest research and on-the-ground action which is addressing women’s health issues around the world.
The 4M consortium was established three years ago by Professor Gemma Sharp, to explore the links between menarche, menstruation, menopause and mental health. The conference was the first of its kind on this topic and brought together stakeholders from a diverse range of contexts. In recognition that attendees may not ‘speak the same language’ when it comes to women’s health, Poppy helped to compile a glossary of terms for the event.
Over two days, attendees heard from a wide range of disciplines on various subjects including the psychological impacts of menstrual health conditions, sociocultural challenges for managing menstruation, and potential policy interventions. The event highlighted the importance of advocacy work, bridging gaps between researchers and practitioners and leading with lived experience.
Poppy presented a poster on her research plans and enjoyed meeting fellow menstrual health researchers. Her highlights included a keynote talk from Professor Hilary Critchley on her insights from three decades of menstrual research, Hat Porter’s poignant talk about unmet menstrual health needs in psychological healthcare settings and panel sessions on the opportunities of data for menstrual health and education. Plus the beautiful campus!
