Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects millions of people and can cause painful, disruptive symptoms such as abdominal pain and frequent diarrhea. While men and women develop IBD at similar rates, women often face more severe symptoms, lower quality of life, and less effective treatment outcomes. One reason for these differences may be changes in hormones—especially estrogen—across the menstrual cycle.
Each month, levels of estrogen naturally rise and fall. Many women with IBD report that their symptoms get worse during their period—but we still do not fully understand why. This study aims to uncover whether these natural hormone changes are linked to shifts in inflammation and symptoms.
To better understand this connection, we will compare women with IBD to two other groups: women without digestive conditions and women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a related but different condition. Participants will track their symptoms daily across one menstrual cycle, helping us understand their day-to-day experience. At key points in the cycle—when estrogen is higher and when it is lowest—participants will provide blood, stool, and vaginal samples and complete an intestinal ultrasound to measure inflammation in the gut. By combining biological measures with daily symptom tracking, this study will provide one of the most detailed pictures to date of how hormones, inflammation, and symptoms are connected.
If hormone changes are found to directly influence inflammation and symptoms, this research could transform how IBD is understood and treated in women—opening the door to more personalized care, better timing of treatments, and improved quality of life.
Stay tuned as we begin participant recruitment and move this important work forward. We look forward to future opportunities to partner and collaborate as the study progresses.