By Dr. Liji Thomas, MD Reviewed by Lauren Hardaker Feb 9 2026 A simple menstrual pad may offer a scalable, non-invasive way to expand cervical cancer screening, matching the accuracy of clinician testing while lowering barriers for women worldwide. Study: Testing menstrual blood for human papillomavirus during cervical cancer screening in China: cross sectional population based study . Image credit: Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock.com A recent paper published in The BMJ reports the use of menstrual