Heavy bleeding, severe cramps: The study that could change menstrual health in Kenya
Homa Bay County Gender Executive Committee Member Elijah Munga (second right) joins Zana Africa Executive Director Beatrice Jane (third right), Public Health Chief Officer Everlyne Ododa and Homa Bay County Health Director Addel Ottoman (second left) during the launch of a study aimed at understanding the challenges women face during their menstrual cycle, at Otaro Primary School in Rachuonyo North, Homa Bay County, on December 10, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Thousands of Kenyan women endure severe menstrual pain, heavy bleeding and irregular cycles, often relying on painkillers that offer little relief and rarely seeking medical care.
- A new two-year study by Zana Africa Foundation, Population Council and Ilara Health will assess 10,000 women across eight counties to determine how common menstrual irregularities are and what underlying health issues they may signal.
Every month, Lucy Matito* prepares for battle. She stocks a container beside her bed with painkillers. For four days, she will use them to fight menstrual cramps so severe they leave her writhing on the floor.
For more than five years, this has been her routine. Some months, the pain makes her unable to walk. She misses work. She waits for it to pass. “The drugs reduce the pain for a while. They help me so that I can engage in different activities. But they are not very effective,” she says.
Lucy is not alone. Thousands of women across Kenya endure similar suffering every month—severe cramps, heavy bleeding that impairs movement, irregular cycles, prolonged flow. Many rely on painkillers that offer only partial relief. Most suffer in silence, never seeking help. Now, a new study aims to understand the scale of the problem and push for solutions.
Zana Africa Foundation, an organisation that runs a call centre for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, noticed a pattern. Women were calling not only about abuse, but about their bodies—painful periods, irregular cycles, heavy bleeding they could not explain. The operators, trained in counselling rather than medicine, could not give them answers.
“The calls have been about girls having heavy bleeding, severe cramps and other symptoms that they should not be having. Most of them just endure the pain or buy painkillers that may not relieve the pain they have," says Alice Onsarigo, Zana Africa's programme manager.
The organisation has now partnered with Population Council and Ilara Health to launch a two-year study targeting 10,000 women in eight counties, including Homa Bay, Garissa, Kiambu, Nyeri and Kakamega. The study, launched during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, aims to determine the prevalence of menstrual irregularities and whether they signal broader health issues.
“We know well that a normal period is not painful and without cramps. It should also come without any health issues. But any period that goes beyond 35 days and is painful with heavy bleeding and other symptoms is not normal and should be checked,” Alice explains.
Health experts attribute menstrual irregularities to several factors, including hormonal changes, environmental shifts, and contraceptive choices. Women who move from hot to extremely cold environments may experience changes in their cycle—two periods in one month, delays, or unusually heavy flow. Certain family planning methods can also affect menstruation.
“Some family planning methods can predispose women to experience irregularities during their menses,” says Dr Adel Ottoman, Homa Bay county health director.
Dr Ottoman warns that persistent irregularities are a sign of poor health and, if left unattended, can lead to complications, including mental health challenges. “Menstrual irregularities show bad health and it has to be corrected. It is a natural process but it should not create discomfort for the woman. It is something that needs to be attended to,” he says.
He also calls on employers to recognise that menstrual pain can be debilitating enough to keep women from work—a reality rarely acknowledged in workplace policies. The study targets women aged 15 to 49. Those who present symptoms will undergo clinical investigations to establish what irregularities they have and receive care to manage their conditions.
“Many women are told to endure pain when they are having their period, but they don't have to. If you are having a period that is heavier than usual and the bleeding is intense or goes on for more than seven days, there could be a problem and it is important to seek help from a medical expert,” Alice says.
Zana Africa executive director Beatrice Jane, who led stakeholders in launching the study in Homa Bay, says the organisation will reach women and girls through social and behaviour change campaigns. “We have created posters with community members and different directorates and ministries in government. They will be used to communicate to women and girls about the irregularities and the need to seek help,” Beatrice says.
Once finalised, the study's findings will be used to advocate policies that address abnormal menstruation. It will also inform the development of educational materials to help women understand their bodies and seek appropriate care. “Women need to know that there are certain symptoms they should not be having when they are in their menses. They should go to hospital because they could be having a broader issue that they are not aware of,” Alice says.
For Lucy, the study offers a glimmer of hope after years of monthly agony. “Menstrual hygiene is something that women do not want to discuss freely. But I am ready to take part in the study so that other women can also be helped,” she says, waiting for the day she can walk into a referral health facility and finally get answers.
*Name changed to protect identity.
