Monash University’s, Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (MCHRI) has been awarded $3M from the Medical Research Future Funds (MRFF) to advance women’s health.
Researchers were awarded $1M to develop a risk prediction tool for women who experience premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) (early menopause) and $2M to further understand the impacts and experiences of those undergoing infertility treatments.
Infertility affects 1 in 6 couples, with Australia having one of the highest rates of infertility treatment globally.
Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), when menopause happens before 40 and is a cause of infertility.
These two new national research projects are part of the government’s commitment to women’s health. Here in partnership with women, researchers and clincians will develop interventions to ultimately improve health care and health outcomes for women.
Personalised Premature Ovarian Insufficiency Prediction – led by Associate Professor Joanne Enticott and Clinical Professor Amanda Vincent
Around 16% of Australian women experience menopause before age 45, including those with POI. Early menopause can lead to health issues when diagnosis is delayed, causing distress and poorer health.
Clinical Prof Amanda Vincent is an endocrinologist at Monash Health, and research leader at MCHRI. This grant will build on her recent work on the international POI Guideline and Ask Early Menopause App, led by MCHRI.
“Early identification of those at risk of POI can help women with family planning including strategies for fertility preservation. We cannot prevent POI currently, but recognition of those at risk means faster diagnosis of POI and prompt initiation of appropriate treatment. This funding will allow us to develop a prediction tool for at risk women which will improve patient care and health outcomes,“ said Prof Vincent.
Lead of Big Data at MCHRI, A/Prof Joanne Enticott, has developed risk prediction calculators for conditions including gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, and said the team will be working closely with women with POI on this project.
We will build this tool, with women with POI, to support early identification, enabling early warning and a faster diagnosis for women around the world,” she said.
Identifying and addressing physical, emotional and psychological impacts of fertility treatment and its outcomes on prospective parents – led by Prof Helena Teede
Infertility affects around 15% of Australian couples and results from medical conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), POI, and male infertility. Advancing maternal age and lifestyle factors like obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol and stress also negatively impact fertility.
“Research in this area has always focused on the medical impacts of infertility treatments, but this important new funding will allow our focus to be broader. We will explore and address the physical, emotional, and psychological effects of fertility treatments and its outcomes on prospective parents—particularly those from priority populations, including rural and regional communities, and culturally diverse groups, “said Prof Teede.
Catherine Vallence is a Consumer Lead on this grant, that will also investigate the plethora of misinformation and commercial incentives that target women and couples with infertility.
“Those undergoing fertility treatment deserve to have the health and psychological impacts understood, so that health care can be tailored and stigma reduced. This research progresses the understanding of these impacts, is profoundly important and I’m grateful to be part of this team that will look to understand and mitigate the impacts”, she said.
Both new grants will leverage and build on the work of MCHRI’s NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Women’s in Reproductive Health and leadership of International Guidelines in Infertility as well as our codesigned MRFF and NHMRC funded women’s digital health platform to advance women’s health knowledge.
Contact: info.mchri@monash.edu
