AIMAN NOOR – OVARY-ACT PROJECT

Investigating how design can bridge the gap in raising awareness, support, and inclusivity for women’s reproductive healthcare issues. An example of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) among women aged 25-35 in the U.K.

This project aims to raise awareness and provide accessibility support to women living with PMDD aged 25-35 in the U.K. The goal is to break the stigma associated with PMDD and empower women to openly discuss their experiences and seek appropriate help to cope with the debilitating symptoms of PMDD. It builds on previous research about the experiences of PMDD survivors and the resources that can provide support to deal with the disorder.

For those suffering with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), it is hard to get back into routine when it is disrupted month after month. It is hard, and women must pick their battles while learning to understand and navigate their lives with this disorder and prioritise their mental well-being.

A cyclical, hormone-based mood disorder known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), which symptoms appear during the premenstrual, or luteal, phase of the menstrual cycle and disappear a few days after menstruation. PMDD, according to the fifth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), is a depressive condition that affects 1.8 to 5.8% of menstruating women throughout 12 months (Younes et al., 2021). The natural increase and fall of estrogen and progesterone in the body causes PMDD, a severe adverse reaction in the brain.

The chosen design route of Ovary-Act was a GIF animation video that will explore the first-hand experiences of PMDD survivors in their luteal phase and would provide the viewer with an in-depth understanding of the emotional fluctuations and sufferings of the PMDD survivors. The frames in the video were illustrated symbolically and metaphorically to form a deeper connection with the audience and communicate the message with a lasting impression.

A signposting website and social media page will lead the audience towards the resources that can help in coping with the symptoms of PMDD. The project was created to utilise design to provide accessibility support to PMDD survivors and encourage them to openly discuss their experiences attached to reproductive health issues and mental well-being.

Key Words: Women, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, Women reproductive health care, mental well-being, awareness, support, accessibility, Inclusivity, Women empowerment, stigma, luteal phase, menstruation, PMDD