Air pollution can disrupt menstrual cycles, according to a new study

A new study called Dust Bloom has found that long-term exposure to air pollution can disrupt menstrual cycles. This groundbreaking research highlights how environmental factors may influence a key indicator of women's health that is often overlooked in environmental studies.

Researchers from MIT, the University of Denver Colorado, and the menstrual health app Clue analyzed data from 2.2 million cycles across 92,550 users in 210 cities in the US, Mexico, and Brazil. The findings show that people living in more polluted areas had more frequent irregularities in their menstrual cycles—either unusually long or short cycles. Short-term exposure had no measurable effect.

The study not only sheds light on a previously ignored area of environmental health but also demonstrates the value of combining anonymized digital health data with environmental monitoring. It underscores the importance of sex-specific research in understanding how pollution impacts different populations.

With 2.4 billion people globally exposed to dangerous air pollution, improving air quality is a shared challenge. The Alliance for Clean Air is bringing businesses and governments together to embed clean air efforts into broader climate action—spanning clean energy, transport, and urban design.

Watch the video to learn how air pollution could be affecting menstrual health and what’s being done to ensure cleaner air for all.