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Clue is on a mission to help you understand your body, periods, ovulation, and so much more. Start tracking today.
Scientific Research at Clue
When you track in Clue, your de-identified data helps researchers better understand menstrual and reproductive health.
40+
Research collaborations
25+
Scientific papers
750M
Cycles tracked
30B
Health data points
40+
Research collaborations
25+
Scientific papers
750M
Cycles tracked
30B
Health data points
How our research works
01
You track
Seed cycling is an alternative medicine practice believed to help regulate reproductive hormones.
02
Data is de-identified
Your data is stripped of direct identifiers and handled according to strict privacy and security standards. You can read more about how Clue handles your data in our Privacy Policy.
03
Researchers use this data for real-world impact
This becomes part of a unique dataset used by top research institutions and clinicians to provide the scientific evidence base for women’s health, explore real-world impact, understand diversity, and break taboos.
Our criteria for partnerships
We collaborate with carefully chosen research partners on studies that meet high scientific, ethical, and data protection standards.
Every study we support must:
1
Answer clear scientific questions relevant to menstrual and reproductive health.
2
Meet high standards of scientific quality and ethical review.
3
Adhere to strict GDPR-compliant data protection standards
Meet the women powering Clue’s science
Behind every data point, research study, and evidence-based insight.
Amanda Shea, PhD
Fractional Chief Science Officer
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Amanda Shea, PhD
Fractional Chief Science Officer
Trained in molecular biology, Amanda began her career in ovarian cancer research before moving into digital health. As fractional Chief Science Officer at Clue, she leads scientific research and global collaborations leveraging real-world menstrual and reproductive health data to accelerate discovery and help close the women’s health knowledge gap.
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Kirsten Weber, PhD
Senior Research Data Scientist
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Kirsten Weber, PhD
Senior Research Data Scientist
Kirsten has a PhD in cognitive neuroscience. After analyzing large-scale datasets in academia, she now analyzes Clue’s user data for insights, works on AI features that give users menstrual health-related insights, and supports important research collaborations.
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Dr. Cornelia Hainer
Head of Science
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Dr. Cornelia Hainer
Head of Science
With a PhD in reproductive biology, Cornelia leads Clue’s science team to ensure all features and content are grounded in science. Her team conducts research to advance women’s health, and creates educational content that helps people make informed health decisions.
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Dr. Hajnalka Hejja
Director of Life Science Partnerships
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Dr. Hajnalka Hejja
Director of Life Science Partnerships
With a background as a medical doctor, Hajni worked in various roles business and scientific roles across industry, in startups and in pharmaceuticals.Hajni bridges the gap between clinical research and real-world evidence. She leads Clue’s strategic partnerships with life science institutions and researchers, leveraging Clue’s unique dataset to accelerate breakthroughs in female health and close the gender data gap on a global scale.
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Dr. Charis Chambers
Chief Medical Officer
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Dr. Charis Chambers
Chief Medical Officer
Board-certified OB-GYN and specialty-certified Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecologist. Known as 'The Period Doctor' on social media, she sets the record straight on female health topics through no-nonsense educational content and myth busting.
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Eve Lepage, MSN, RN
Senior Reproductive Health Advisor
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Eve Lepage, MSN, RN
Senior Reproductive Health Advisor
Eve is a fertility nurse by training and a reproductive health advisor at Clue. She works on product features supporting menstrual and reproductive health, drawing on clinical experience and evidence-based science.
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Published papers
Exogenous estradiol modulates entorhinal cortex contributions to episodic encoding of conditioned threat in women
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA + 4 more
Katelyn I. Oliver
Kristina Dahlgren
Alyssa R. Roeckner
Cecilia A. Hinojosa
+15 more
Estradiol (E2) positively influences memory facilitation effects in older women and rodent models by targeting key memory-related brain regions.
Read more >
What Do Asexual Women Want? A Propensity Score Matching Study of Preferred Relationship Options and Ideal Partner Preferences
Clue By BioWink GmbH, Berlin, Germany + 7 more
Paula C. Bange
Laura J. Botzet
Amanda A. Shea
Virginia J. Vitzthum
Tanja M. Gerlach
Research on whether asexual individuals desire (romantic) relationships and, if so, how they picture their ideal relationship has been growing in the past few years.
Read more >
Hormonal mechanisms of women’s risk in the face of traumatic stress
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA + 4 more
Jennifer S. Stevens
Vasiliki Michopoulos
Madeline Davis
Cecilia A. Hinojosa
+21 more
Women are underrepresented in biomedical research, limiting understanding of their disproportionate rates of stress-related disorders. Although men experience more trauma, women are twice as likely to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Read more >
Left or right? The link between political orientation and partner preferences in a multinational sample of single women
Biological Personality Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Goettingen, Goßlerstraße 14, Goettingen 37073, Germany + 4 more
Lena Kuschel
Laura J Botzet
Tanja M Gerlach
Political orientation is related to many aspects of our lives. Here, we investigate how political orientation relates to how women from different parts of the world picture their ideal partner.
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The effect of air pollution exposure on menstrual cycle health using self-reported data from a mobile health app: a prospective, observational study
Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, USA + 11 more
Priyanka N deSouza, PhD
Amanda A Shea, PhD
Virginia J Vitzthum, PhD
+8 more
Toxicological evidence suggests that ambient air pollution has endocrine-disrupting properties that can affect menstrual cycle functioning, which represents an important marker of women's reproductive health.
Read more >
Mood symptoms and gut function across the menstrual cycle in individuals with premenstrual syndrome
Clue by BioWink GmbH, Adalbertstraße 7-8, 10999 Berlin, Germany + 4 more
Amanda A. Shea
Kelsey Hannan
Ximin Li
Anjali Mehta
Gayane Yenokyan
+2 more
Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms such as bloating, constipation, and nausea are common in the days before menstruation, experienced by as many as 73 % of menstruating individuals.
Read more >
The association of COVID-19 vaccination and menstrual health: A period-tracking app-based cohort study
Clue by BioWink GmbH, Berlin, Germany + 6 more
Amanda A. Shea
Malini Ramaiyer
Malak El Sabeh
Jiafeng Zhu
Dorry Segev
+2 more
In initial COVID-19 clinical trials, menstrual health was not formally monitored, yet anecdotal reports of menstruation changes surfaced on social media. This study aims to assess the association between COVID-19 vaccines and menstruation using Clue, a period-tracking application.
Read more >
Menstrual Cycle Characteristics of U. S. Adolescents According to Gynecologic Age and Age at Menarche
Head of Science, Clue by BioWink GmbH, Berlin, Germany + 4 more
Amanda Shea PhD
Kim G Harley PhD
Annalisa Watson MPH
Samantha Robertson PhD
Virginia J Vitzthum PhD
To characterize typical menstrual cycle characteristics in adolescents and determine how these differ with age at menarche or years since menarche (gynecologic age).
Read more >
A Bother or a Benefit? How Contraceptive Users Balance the Trade-Offs Between Preferred Menstrual Bleeding Patterns and Preferred Contraceptive Methods in India, South Africa, and the United States
Head of Science, Clue by BioWink GmbH, Berlin, Germany + 3 more
Amanda A. Shea
Meghana Kulkarni
+ 4 more
The contraceptive needs of women for whom the benefits of menstrual bleeding may outweigh its disadvantages have largely been overlooked, especially outside high-income countries.
Read more >
Assessment of App-Based Versus Conventional Survey Modalities for Reproductive Health Research in India, South Africa, and the United States: Comparative Cross-Sectional Study
Clue by BioWink GmbH, Berlin, Germany + 3 more
Amanda A. Shea
Jonathan Thornburg
Virginia J Vitzthum
There is a widely acknowledged global need for more research on reproductive health (including contraception, menstrual health, sexuality, and maternal morbidities) and its impact on overall well-being.
Read more >
Associations Among Menstrual Cycle Length, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and Vaccination
Clue by BioWink GmbH, Berlin, Germany + 4 more
Amanda A. Shea
Alexandra Alvergne
Emily Boniface
Blair Darney
+ 4 more
To assess whether coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with menstrual cycle length changes and, if so, how that compares with those undergoing vaccination or no event (control).
Read more >
The Link Between Age and Partner Preferences in a Large, International Sample of Single Women
Clue by BioWink GmbH, Berlin, Germany + 5 more
Amanda A. Shea
Laura J Botzet
Virginia J Vitzthum
Anna Druet
+ 2 more
Women's capacity to reproduce varies over the life span, and developmental goals such as family formation are age-graded and shaped by social norms about the appropriate age for completing specific developmental tasks.
Read more >
More than blood: app-tracking reveals variability in heavy menstrual bleeding construct
Clue by BioWink GmbH, Berlin, Germany + 2 more
Amanda A. Shea
Fiorella Wever
Cécile Ventola
Jonathan Thornburg
Virginia J. Vitzthum
Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is associated with impaired quality of life and may signal serious health problems. Unresolved challenges in measuring menstrual bleeding and identifying HMB have hampered research and clinical care.
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Digital Global Recruitment for Women’s Health Research: Cross-sectional Study
Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States + 6 more
Amanda A. Shea
Erika Rodriguez
Komal Peer
Victoria Fruh
Kaitlyn James
+ 6 more
With the increased popularity of mobile menstrual tracking apps and boosted Facebook posts, there is a unique opportunity to recruit research study participants from across the globe via these modalities to evaluate women’s health.
Read more >
A predictive model for next cycle start date that accounts for adherence in menstrual self-tracking
Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics / Data Science Institute, Columbia University, New York, USA + 3 more
Amanda A. Shea
Iñigo Urteaga
Virginia J Vitzthum
Chris H Wiggins
+ 2 more
The study sought to build predictive models of next menstrual cycle start date based on mobile health self-tracked cycle data.
Read more >
Unmasking Seasonal Cycles in Human Fertility: How holiday sex and fertility cycles shape birth seasonality
Statistics Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA + 5 more
L. Symul
P. Hsieh
A. Shea
CRC. Moreno
D.J. Skene
S. Holmes
M Martinez
The mechanisms of human birth seasonality have been debated for over 150 years. In particular, the question of whether sexual activity or fertility variations drive birth seasonality has remained open and challenging to test without large-scale data on sexual activity.
Read more >
Comparison of Paper Diaries, Text Messages and Smartphone App to Track Bleeding and Other Symptoms for Contraceptive Studies
Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA + 3 more
Tatiana Josephy
Sajal Sanan
Erin Thayer
Emily Godfrey
Most researchers who study the effects of hormonal contraception on menstrual bleeding rely on self-reported data via paper diaries, for which completeness and timeliness have been shown to be poor.
Read more >
Daily, weekly, seasonal and menstrual cycles in women’s mood, behaviour and vital signs
Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA + 5 more
Emma Pierson
Tim Althoff
Daniel Thomas
Paula Hillard
Jure Leskovec
Dimensions of human mood, behaviour and vital signs cycle over multiple timescales. However, it remains unclear which dimensions are most cyclical, and how daily, weekly, seasonal and menstrual cycles compare in magnitude.
Read more >
Characterizing physiological and symptomatic variation in menstrual cycles using self-tracked mobile-health data
Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA + 3 more
Kathy Li
Iñigo Urteaga
Chris H. Wiggins
Anna Druet
Amanda Shea
+ 2 more
Our findings showcase the potential of longitudinal, high-resolution self-tracked data to improve understanding of menstruation and women’s health as a whole.
Read more >
Mobile sex-tech apps: How use differs across global areas of high and low gender equality
The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States of America + 3 more
Amanda N. Gesselman
Anna Druet
Virginia J. Vitzthum
We assessed how women around the world interact with mobile technology for sex-related purposes, and whether in areas of greater gender inequality, technological accessibility may be empowering women with knowledge about sexuality.
Read more >
A Cross-Country Comparison of Reasons for Condom Use during Menses: Associations with Age and Gender Inequality
Department of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, England + 4 more
Cynthia A. Graham
Richard A. Crosby
Stephanie A. Sanders
Virginia J. Vitzthum
+ 2 more
Despite evidence that menstrual bleeding is a risk factor for sexually transmissible infections, few studies have assessed the prevalence of, and reasons for, condom use during menses.
Read more >
Decision making over condom use during menses to avert sexually transmissible infections
The Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA + 1 more
Richard A Crosby
Cynthia A Graham
Marija V Wheeler
William L Yarber
+ 3 more
The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that receptive partners in penile-vaginal intercourse (PVI) who exercise independent decision making over condom use during menses do so to avert sexually transmissible infection (STI) transmission or acquisition.
Read more >
Do sexually transmitted infections exacerbate negative premenstrual symptoms? Insights from digital health
School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. + 3 more
Alexandra Alvergne
Marija Vlajic Wheeler
Vedrana Högqvist Tabor
We test the evolutionary ecological hypothesis that some negative premenstrual symptoms may be exacerbated by the presence of chronic sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Read more >
The extent and causes of natural variation in menstrual cycles: Integrating empirically-based models of ovarian cycling into research on women’s health
Clue by BioWink GmbH, Berlin, Germany + 1 more
Amanda A. Shea
Virginia J. Vitzthum
Menstrual cycle variability has been extensively documented, yet this basic physiological fact has not been well integrated into studies of women’s health. We examine the extent, causes, and implications for clinical research of non-pathological variation in ovarian cycling, and propose guidelines for evaluating the potential contribution of cycle variability to study outcomes.
Read more >
Identifying Women at Risk for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Using a Mobile Health App: Virtual Tool Functionality Assessment
Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA + 4 more
Erika Marie Rodriguez
Daniel Thomas
Anna Druet
Marija Vlajic-Wheeler
+ 2 more
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disrupting disorder affecting about 10% of reproductive-aged women. PCOS diagnosis may be delayed several years and may require multiple physicians, resulting in lost time for risk-reducing interventions.
Read more >
Ongoing projects
How do menstrual cycle hormones influence women’s vulnerability to PTSD?
A controlled clinical study tested how the hormone estradiol shapes the brain’s response to threat and stress. The results suggest hormonal changes across the menstrual cycle may influence PTSD vulnerability.
Did the COVID-19 pandemic impact menstrual cycles?
While there has been anecdotal evidence from people experiencing menstrual cycle changes (such as longer cycles or heavier periods) after COVID-19 infection or vaccination, there have been few studies on the topic.
How do different people experience heavy menstrual bleeding?
This project compared Clue users’ tracked bleeding with their responses to an online questionnaire and found that for people who reported having a heavy period, actual flow heaviness was not always the most important factor in characterizing their period.
Can air pollution affect the menstrual cycle?
Analyzing over 2.2 million cycles from 92,000 Clue users in 230 cities across the U.S., Brazil, and Mexico, this study found that higher long-term exposure to a certain type of air pollutant (PM2.5) was associated with increased cycle irregularity, particularly longer cycles.
Are digestive symptoms associated with mood during PMS?
This study examined how digestive symptoms vary across the menstrual cycle and relate to mood, finding a strong link between the digestive and mood symptoms, especially among people with PMS.
What is the contribution of menstrual cycles to mood, behavior, and vital signs?
Using machine learning on millions of cycles, this study found menstrual cycles influence mood and behavior more strongly than daily, weekly, or seasonal cycles.
How do menstrual cycle lengths and symptoms vary — and can AI help us more accurately predict when an individual’s next period will be?
This research explored cycle variability and symptom patterns, and developed AI models to improve period prediction by accounting for potential missed tracking.
Do STIs influence premenstrual symptoms?
This study found that undiagnosed STIs were associated with increased pain and low mood before menstruation, suggesting symptoms may signal underlying conditions.
How does sexual desire change across the menstrual cycle and with contraceptive use?
This research examines how sexual desire changes across the menstrual cycle and under different contraceptive methods, helping to clarify potential side effects and cycle-related patterns.
What do menstrual cycle patterns look like in adolescents, and how are they shaped by stress and physical activity?
This research explores how adolescent menstrual cycles vary after menarche, and how factors like stress and physical activity influence cycle characteristics.
What symptom patterns are experienced during perimenopause?
This study examines the wide range of perimenopause symptoms, from hot flashes to sleep disturbances, to better understand how they vary across individuals and over time.
Can self-tracked menstrual patterns be used to detect endometriosis?
Machine learning applied to tracked menstrual data may help detect endometriosis earlier by identifying characteristic symptom patterns.
Do focus, attention, and motivation change across the menstrual cycle among those with and without ADHD?
This research explores how menstrual cycles affect focus, motivation, and mental functioning in people with and without ADHD.
Can menstrual cycle tracking help improve the diagnostic criteria for PMDD?
This study is mapping symptom patterns in PMDD in an effort to refine diagnostic criteria and support more effective screening and treatment.
How does the menstrual cycle impact mood and energy in people with or without health conditions?
This research explores cycle-related changes in mood and energy, comparing individuals with and without health conditions like depression and anxiety.
Is there an association between menstrual patterns and breast cancer risk?
This study investigates links between menstrual cycle characteristics and breast cancer risk, aiming to identify early warning patterns.
Are there recurring patterns to menstrual pain, and how are they influenced by reproductive health conditions?
This research examines recurring period pain patterns and how underlying reproductive conditions influence symptom severity and experience.
Do patterns in sexual activity or fertility shape birth seasonality?
This study assesses whether seasonal birth trends may be influenced by patterns in sexual activity or fertility.
How well can menstrual tracking apps predict pregnancy?
This research evaluates how app-tracked cycle and sexual activity data can predict pregnancy likelihood.
How does menses impact attitudes and behaviors around condom use?
This study examines how menstrual bleeding influences attitudes and behaviors around condom use worldwide.
How do menstrual bleeding preferences impact contraceptive decision-making?
This research explores how preferences for menstrual bleeding influence birth control choices across cultures.
How do people use mobile technology for sex-related purposes?
This study investigated how people use mobile technology for sexual health, partner connection, and education globally.
What are people looking for in an ideal romantic partner?
This study examines global preferences for romantic partners, exploring how age and cultural factors influence desires.
How can menstrual tracking apps support reproductive health research?
We need more effective ways to quickly and inexpensively collect health data—could apps like Clue be a solution?
How you can help
Historically, women and people with periods have been underrepresented in research. Your involvement with Clue can help change that.
Here’s how you can get involved:
Contribute your tracked data
Give consent in your Clue app’s privacy settings to share your de-identified data, helping researchers answer important questions about menstrual and reproductive health.
Take part in Clue surveys
Occasionally, you may be invited to take part in a survey. Surveys can be anonymous or linked to your de-identified data. You’ll always see an introduction explaining what data will be used.
Participate in a clinical study
Researchers can use Clue to collect cycle data for studies, such as investigating how exercise impacts menstrual bleeding. Keep an eye on invitations to clinical research.
Join studies promoted by Clue
We help researchers recruit participants from diverse backgrounds. You might see studies promoted in-app or on our social channels that you can take part in.
If you’re a researcher interested in collaborating with Clue, we’d love to hear from you.