OUR FIFTH VITAL SIGN

A clinic just for periods? Elizabeth Bromley, co-founder of nurse-led menstrual health specialists Hekate, shares why our time of the month deserves more attention

Temperature, blood pressure, heart rate and breath are the  "vital signs" we get checked out fairly regularly throughout our lifetime.

But Elizabeth Bromley, Managing Director at Hekate, based in Dunedin with appointments online, makes a strong case for considering our monthly bleed our fifth vital sign. Aside from pregnancy, regular ovulation also plays a vital role in maintaining hormonal balance, supporting bone strength, cardiovascular emperature, blood pressure, heart rate and breath are the health and mental well-being, explains the registered nurse, nutritionist and herbalist.

"There's an increasing trend of people seeking out more knowledge to support and empower themselves, and viewing ovulatory menstrual cycles as a health priority," says Elizabeth. "We have others who are future planning for their fertility with preconception and pregnancy care. Then we have those presenting with symptoms that might include menstrual and pelvic pain, irregular cycles, missed periods, heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding, migraines, breast pain, food cravings, bloating, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). We also see hormone imbalances like Hashimoto's thyroiditis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), through to conditions like endometriosis and adenomyosis."