Are you interested in participating in a study which investigates the impact of the menstrual cycle and menopause on glucose levels and quality of life in women with type 1 diabetes?

What do we know?

We know very little about how the menstrual cycle and menopause influence blood glucose levels and quality of life in women living with type 1 diabetes. While we can expect that the hormonal changes of the menstrual cycle and surrounding menopause could impact blood glucose and quality of life, there is very little research asking these questions, even though over 7 million women live with type 1 diabetes worldwide.

Who are we?

We are a research team of doctors, diabetes nurse specialists and dietiicians working clinically in diabetes departments across the Ireland. This work is led by Dr Aisling McCarthy, a diabetes doctor currently working in Galway University Hospital.

What is our study and what would it mean to get involved?

We want to compare diabetes sensor data with menstrual cycle and menopause data, and to ask questions about how this impacts on quality of life in women with type 1 diabetes.

If you joined this study, it would be a once off 15 minute phone call with a member of the study team, completing a 15-20 minute survey on your phone, and sharing the last 3 months of your diabetes sensor data. If you are pre-menopausal, this would also involve sharing the dates of your last 3 periods.

Why is this study important?

Women’s symptoms and experience has historically been underlooked and undervalued. Much of the information we have about blood glucose and diabetes has been reported by men. We want to capture the female experience, and compare that experience across the life course in women with type 1 diabetes who are younger and older. This graph shows how the hormones change before and after menopause. It is really important that we accurately capture how this impacts the lives of women living with type 1 diabetes, so we can develop ways to provide better care for you.

If you are willing to join our study, please fill in the study form and a member of our research team will contact you.