Insight
The new era of lateral flow technology and its impact on women’s health
By Nina Garrett, chief technical officer at Abingdon Health
What impact will the explosion in lateral flow technology and adoption have on women’s health? Abingdon Health’s CTO Nina Garrett provides her insights into what the future may hold.
The rise of lateral flow technology has significantly reshaped the landscape of healthcare, particularly for women.
From its origins in pregnancy testing to its current widespread use, lateral flow tests (LFTs) have made health monitoring more accessible and convenient. Here, we explore the history of lateral flow tests, the current rapid self-tests available for women, the reasons behind their adoption, and the potential future applications in women’s health.
The origins of lateral flow technology and pregnancy testing
Lateral flow technology dates back to the 1960s when researchers first began exploring immunoassay techniques for rapid testing. The first commercial lateral flow test, however, came to prominence in the late 1970s and early 1980s with the introduction of the home pregnancy test.
The first lateral flow test: home pregnancy testing
In ancient Egypt, an intriguing method to determine pregnancy involved women urinating on barley and wheat seeds. If the seeds sprouted, it was believed the woman was pregnant.
Surprisingly, modern science supports this ancient practice, as the hCG hormone in a pregnant woman’s urine can indeed promote seed growth. This historical test showcases the ingenuity of early diagnostic methods and the enduring quest for reliable pregnancy tests.
Fast forward to the early 1960s, scientists developed sophisticated techniques to detect hCG in urine. The significant breakthrough came in 1978 when Warner-Chilcott introduced the first over-the-counter home pregnancy test, the “e.p.t” (early pregnancy test).
This innovation transformed women’s health by offering a private, quick and reliable way to confirm pregnancy without needing a doctor’s visit, marking a new era in personal health diagnostics.
While this was a significant breakthrough, the pregnancy testing market remained relatively untouched until Abingdon Health’s recent release of the world’s first saliva pregnancy test which can now be found under the Boots brand to encourage adoption. HcG remains the flagship at-home women’s test but it has paved the way for what we now see on shelves.
Current rapid self-tests available for women
Today, lateral flow technology has expanded far beyond pregnancy tests empowering women to pro-actively manage their own health and wellbeing. Rapid self-tests are available that cater to women’s health needs include:
Ovulation tests: These tests detect the surge in luteinising hormone (LH) that occurs before ovulation, helping women identify their fertile window for conception.
Urinary tract infection (UTI) tests: These tests detect nitrites and leukocytes in urine, indicating the presence of a UTI.
Sexually transmitted infection (STI) tests: Some STI tests can be performed at home, testing for infections like chlamydia and gonorrhoea using urine samples or vaginal swabs.
Vaginal pH tests: These tests help diagnose bacterial vaginosis or yeast infections by detecting abnormal pH levels in vaginal secretions.
Menopause tests: These tests measure follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels in urine, which can indicate the onset of menopause.
Vitamin D deficiency tests: One of the most common deficiencies worldwide, these tests allow the monitoring of deficient and sufficient levels. Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones and teeth, the immune system, brain health and for regulating inflammation.
Ferritin (iron) deficiency tests: Iron is a crucial mineral that plays several vital roles within the body including, oxygen transport, muscle function, enzyme activity and immune function. A lack of iron can result in iron deficiency anaemia.
Why women choose to use rapid self-tests at home
There are some distinct advantages in using rapid tests, however, there still are challenges to consider. We take a look at some of these below.
Advantages
- Convenience: Rapid self-tests empower women to conduct health checks at their own convenience, eliminating the need for scheduling and attending doctor’s appointments.
- Privacy: These tests offer a discreet way to monitor health conditions, which is crucial for sensitive issues like pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), or menopause.
- Quick results: Delivering results within minutes to hours, these tests enable timely decision-making and prompt treatment.
- Cost-effective: Self-tests are generally more affordable than visiting healthcare providers, as they cut out consultation fees and reduce overall healthcare costs.
Disadvantages
- Accuracy concerns: Despite high accuracy rates, rapid tests can produce false positives or negatives, leading to unnecessary anxiety or false reassurance. This is where a trusted developer and/or supplier of LFTs is critical.
- Misinterpretation: Users may misinterpret results if instructions are not followed carefully, potentially leading to incorrect health decisions.
- Limited scope: Designed to detect specific conditions, self-tests do not offer a comprehensive health assessment and might miss other underlying issues.
- Need for follow-up: Positive results typically necessitate follow-up with a healthcare provider for confirmation and treatment, which can still be inconvenient.
Potential future applications of lateral flow tests in women’s health
The potential for expanding the use of lateral flow technology in women’s health is immense, and as a contract development manufacturing organisation (CDMO), we are at the forefront of developing some novel products within women’s health and wellbeing. Here are several areas where future rapid self-tests could have a significant impact:
Hormonal imbalances
Hormonal imbalances can lead to a range of health issues, including irregular menstrual cycles, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and menopause-related symptoms.
Future self-tests could monitor hormone levels such as oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone, enabling women to manage their reproductive health more effectively.
Breast cancer
Early detection of breast cancer is crucial for successful treatment. Researchers are exploring the possibility of developing rapid self-tests that detect biomarkers associated with breast cancer in blood or saliva samples, allowing for regular, non-invasive screening at home.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a painful condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside it. Currently, diagnosing endometriosis requires invasive procedures.
Rapid self-tests that detect biomarkers in blood or urine would be a groundbreaking development for early diagnosis and management.
Fertility and menstrual health
In addition to existing ovulation tests, comprehensive fertility tests could assess multiple hormones and health markers to provide a detailed fertility profile. Similarly, tests that track menstrual health and predict issues such as dysmenorrhea (painful periods) or amenorrhea (absence of periods) would be invaluable.
Mental health
Mental health conditions, such as postpartum depression, are often underdiagnosed and undertreated. Innovative approaches to detect stress hormones or other biomarkers related to mental health could provide early warnings and facilitate timely intervention.
Nutritional deficiencies
While there are some rapid tests for detecting deficiencies in vitamins and minerals on the market, such as our iron self-test and vitamin D self-test as set out above, others like B12, could help women manage their dietary intake and address potential issues more proactively.
The explosion in lateral flow technology and its adoption holds immense promise for women’s health. The convenience, privacy and quick results provided by rapid self-tests are transforming how women monitor and manage their health.
While there are limitations to current self-tests, ongoing advancements in this field are going to expand their scope and accuracy, making them even more integral to women’s healthcare.
As research progresses, we can anticipate a future where rapid self-tests become commonplace for diagnosing and monitoring a wide range of conditions. This shift towards at-home testing will empower women to take more control of their health, leading to earlier detection, better management of chronic conditions and overall improved health outcomes.
Abingdon Health’s team has over 20 years’ experience in the lateral flow market and is a knowledge leader in the development, scale-up, transfer, manufacturing, regulatory approval and distribution of lateral flow products across a range of sectors. If you would like to understand more about these services, and discuss any specific requirements, don’t hesitate to contact Abingdon’s experts today.
Women face a hidden burden navigating healthcare, with many repeatedly retelling their medical history, a national study suggests.
The findings indicate that Canadian women are taking on cognitive, emotional and administrative work alongside managing their health, including coordinating providers and advocating for care.
More than half of women surveyed, 53 per cent, reported a past or current chronic condition, while 64 per cent said there were health topics they struggled to raise with their doctor.
Sarah Hoffman, president and CEO of Pacific Blue Cross, said: “These findings challenge us to think differently about women’s healthcare and highlight the hidden work required to navigate the system.
“For many women, managing their health has also come to mean managing the healthcare system itself.
“They are acting as project managers of their own care, shouldering the invisible labour of coordinating between providers, retelling their medical history and advocating to be heard.
“The gap between men and women is meaningful and raises important questions about why younger women report lower levels of confidence and support.
“It also challenges us to consider whether we are actually making progress in women’s care, and whether the next generation is being equipped with the confidence and voice to advocate for their health.”
Overall, 71 per cent of Canadians described their doctors as supportive and 88 per cent expected their appointments to go well.
Among women living with chronic conditions, 71 per cent reported having to repeat their complete health history multiple times a year.
Younger women were particularly likely to report difficulties discussing their health. The study found 81 per cent of Gen Z women aged 18 to 30 and 73 per cent of Millennial women aged 31 to 45 had health topics they struggled to raise with their doctor.
Among Gen Z women with chronic illness, 92 per cent reported having to repeat their complete health history.
The study also found differences between young women and men. While 95 per cent of Gen Z men expected a doctor’s appointment to go well, the figure was 82 per cent among Gen Z women.
Similarly, 82 per cent of Gen Z men said they felt supported by their family doctor, compared with 66 per cent of Gen Z women.
Reasons for holding back health concerns varied between generations.
Among Gen Z women, 30 per cent cited fear of dismissal and 29 per cent fear of judgement.
Embarrassment was the most common barrier among Millennial, Gen X and Boomer women, reported by 29 per cent, 27 per cent and 35 per cent respectively.
Women who felt they needed to prove themselves to be taken seriously said they adapted how they approached appointments.
Strategies included researching medical information, repeatedly describing or justifying symptoms, bringing written notes or documentation, tracking symptom timelines, making repeat visits and emphasising how symptoms affected their daily lives.
The study also found an association between feeling supported by a doctor and expecting appointments to go well.
Canadians who described their physician as supportive were nearly four times more likely to expect appointments to go well than those who felt unsupported, at 98 per cent compared with 25 per cent.
Overall, 66 per cent of Canadians said they described their symptoms accurately. This fell to 48 per cent among those who said they felt unsupported by their doctor.
The 2026 Blue Cross Women’s Health Study surveyed 2,045 adult Canadians online in March 2026 through independent research company Research + Knowledge = Insights.
The survey had a reported margin of error of plus or minus 2 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
A French court has linked cosmic radiation to a former flight attendant’s breast cancer for the first time.
Sophie Lainault, 59, had sought to have her cancer recognised as an occupational disease linked to her working conditions.
The court in Bayonne ruled that cosmic radiation was one of three carcinogenic, or cancer-causing, hazards arising from her profession, alongside passive smoking and prolonged night work.
Smoking was authorised on Air France flights until 2000.
The ruling means Lainault, who is in remission, can take early retirement and have any further treatment fully reimbursed by the French health system.
Lawyers said the decision has also cleared the way for similar claims by recognising breast cancer as an occupational risk for flight crews.
Lainault said: “My dearest wish is that the decision encourages other women who up until now have not had the courage to take this step.”
Lainault worked as a stewardess and later a purser on Air France aircraft, recording 12,600 flight hours between 1989 and 2019. More than half of those hours were at night.
Many of her long-distance, high-altitude flights from Paris would have taken her near the North Pole, where exposure to cosmic radiation is most intense.
Cosmic radiation consists of particles originating from the sun and other stars.
A study this month at Harvard Medical School in the US involving more than 500 professions found that flight attendants and pilots had the highest proportions of radiation-related cancer deaths.
About 6.9 per cent of deaths among flight attendants and 6.7 per cent among pilots were from radiation-related cancers, according to the analysis.
The proportions were higher than in other professions, including nuclear technologists, who are routinely exposed to radiation from non-cosmic sources and ranked 12th in the analysis.
It has long been known that high-altitude air travel exposes people to cosmic radiation, although the dose received by most travellers is regarded as statistically insignificant. Exposure is higher at the poles because elsewhere the Earth’s magnetic field acts as a shield.
Lainault’s lawyer Elisabeth Leroux said: “In France the link between breast cancer and certain hazards has been established for a number of professions, such as nurses … but this is the first time for an air-hostess.”
Air France said it had not been involved in Lainault’s legal case and had not seen the reasoning behind the court’s decision.
“The health and security of our staff is an absolute imperative,” the airline said. “Every employee has a medical accompaniment that goes well beyond the regulatory minimum.”
A study is examining where delays occur in diagnosing endometriosis – a condition that can take seven to twelve years to diagnose.
Endometriosis affects an estimated 1.5 million women and people in the UK, but there is currently no consistent way of measuring where and why diagnostic delays happen.
The research aims to develop the first standardised framework for understanding the diagnostic journey and identifying points where interventions could improve care.
The international project involves researchers from the University of Sheffield, University of Liverpool, University of Oxford, Aarhus University in Denmark and the University of Edinburgh, alongside Endometriosis UK.
Dr Rebecca Mawson, NIHR clinical lecturer in primary care at the University of Sheffield, is part of the research team.
She said: “Our project asks: where exactly are people getting lost or let down on their journey to diagnosis, and how can we map those points in a systematic way to identify where interventions could make a real difference.”
The project is led by Dr Babu Karavadra, NIHR academic clinical fellow in general practice at the University of Liverpool, who has been awarded a World Endometriosis Society Early Career Investigator Award as lead principal investigator at the University of Liverpool.
Researchers will review existing evidence, gather experiences from people living with endometriosis and bring together an international panel to map the diagnostic pathway and agree common definitions for key points along the journey.
The work will focus particularly on people whose experiences are often missing from research, including Black women, people living in rural or deprived areas, LGBTQ+ communities and disabled people.
Primary care will also be central to the research because it is often where people first seek help with symptoms.
Mawson said: “Primary care needs to be at the heart of this work. Primary care is often where people first seek help with their symptoms, so it has a crucial role in understanding diagnostic delay.
“If we only look at what happens once someone reaches specialist gynaecology, we risk missing some of the barriers that shape the journey long before that point.”
Unlike cancer research, where internationally recognised standards exist for studying diagnostic delays, endometriosis research has been more fragmented, with studies measuring different parts of the diagnostic journey in different ways.
The researchers hope to create an ‘Endometriosis Diagnostic Pathway Framework’ to help identify where people are falling through the gaps and where healthcare could be improved.
They will also develop a ‘Snakes and Ladders’ style visual representation showing how systemic barriers, chance and individual experiences can influence whether someone reaches a diagnosis.
The project forms part of the PEARL network, Primary care Endometriosis and Adenomyosis Research and Learning, an international collaboration of primary care and community researchers and clinicians.
Mawson said: “Endometriosis diagnostic delay isn’t inevitable. If we can understand where and why people are experiencing barriers, we have a much better chance of designing interventions that actually make a difference.
“The scale of the problem demands that we look at the whole journey, listen to the people experiencing it and build an evidence base that can lead to real change.”
The framework could provide the foundations for future research, clinical guideline development, healthcare professional training and NHS service improvements, with potential applications to related conditions such as adenomyosis and chronic pelvic pain.
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