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Comment: Why progress in endometriosis research is urgently needed
By Dr. Zahid Khan, a consultant gynaecologist working in the UAE and CEO of femtech firm, My ANNA Health.
Endometriosis affects an estimated one in 10 women of reproductive age globally—approximately 190 million women. Yet, despite its prevalence, research into this condition has been grossly underfunded and underprioritised.
Recent statistics suggest that only 2 percent of medical research funding is spent on pregnancy, childbirth, and female reproductive health. This is despite one in three women reporting a reproductive or gynaecological health problem.
It is under-researched and underfunded compared to other chronic conditions, contributing to poor diagnostic tools and treatment options. For example, in the U.S., the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world’s largest source of biomedical research funding, allocated US$41.7bn in 2022.
Despite this, only US$16m – or 0.038 per cent of the NIH budget – was designated for endometriosis research.
Given that endometriosis affects around 11 per cent of US women over their lifetime, this equates to just US$2 per patient per year. In stark contrast, diabetes, which impacts 12 per cent of US women, receives over 1,500 per cent more funding per woman, with an estimated US$31.30 allocated per female patient.
This disparity in funding not only limits our understanding of the disease but also delays the development of effective treatments and diagnostic tools.
An encouraging advancement in the battle against endometriosis is the creation of new AI tools like ANNA (Artificial Narrow Neural Assistant). Designed to aid early diagnosis and reduce the long wait times associated with specialist consultations, ANNA is an AI-driven platform that is being trialled in primary care settings in the UK.
Unlike traditional diagnostic methods that rely on invasive procedures like laparoscopy, ANNA uses a sophisticated algorithm to analyze symptoms and suggest the likelihood of endometriosis. ANNA has been tested with over 160 patients, showing a 100 percent agreement with specialist diagnoses, a clear indicator of its potential in revolutionizing early diagnosis.
ANNA is multilingual and designed with a culturally sensitive avatar, breaking down language barriers and providing healthcare access to women from diverse backgrounds. It can be used independently by patients or in consultation with healthcare professionals, guiding them on when to seek specialist help and offering pain management strategies. By integrating ANNA into primary care, the timeline for diagnosis can be significantly shortened, allowing women to receive timely treatment and improve their quality of life.
Research into and adoption of non-invasive diagnostic tools, like ANNA, is critical to reducing the years of suffering that many women endure. Beyond diagnosis, we need to focus on better treatment options that go beyond hormonal therapies and surgery.
These treatments often have severe side effects, and in many cases, they aren’t curative. Research into the causes of endometriosis—whether genetic, hormonal-, or immunological—will pave the way for more targeted therapies that address the disease at its source.
The importance of awareness cannot be overstated. Primary care providers need to be better trained to recognise the symptoms of endometriosis early on. Public health campaigns should inform women about what constitutes normal menstruation and when they should seek help. Too many women suffer in silence, told by doctors that their pain is “normal” or dismissed with misdiagnoses.
Abu Dhabi is investing in making real changes, developing these cutting-edge surgical techniques for endometriosis and setting up efficient specialized care centers. At our Centre of Excellence, we perform six to seven endometriosis surgeries a week, with recurrence rates below 9 percent.
These are promising advancements, but the next challenge is scaling up these technologies and advancements, ensuring that they are accessible to women worldwide.
The Femtech World Awards is proud to reveal the shortlist for Research Project of the Year as part of the third annual global celebration of innovation, impact and leadership across women’s health.
From fertility science and perimenopause research to regional ecosystem analysis, the shortlisted projects reflect the breadth and growing influence of femtech research worldwide.
The category is sponsored by OncoGenomX, with the winner to be selected by a representative from the organisation.
OncoGenomX is dedicated to offering solutions and providing comprehensive support services that empower Drug Developers, Clinical Researchers, Oncologists,NextGenSeq Diagnostics Laboratories, NextGenSeq Service Organisations, Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics Companies to achieve their ambitious goals
The shortlisted entries for Research Project of the Year are:
Women’s health remains significantly underserved in South-East Asia, with persistent gaps in access, awareness, and quality of care carrying substantial social and economic costs.
This report examines the femtech landscape in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, highlighting market trends, emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, and the evolving support ecosystem.
It identifies key challenges facing femtech founders, including limited access to finance, low awareness and persistent stigma, marketing constraints linked to content moderation, and gaps in tailored ecosystem support.
Led by Stephanie Willson, MD, of the IVI RMA Global Research Alliance, the study explored whether embryos that show certain chromosome abnormalities during genetic testing may still have the potential to result in a healthy pregnancy and live birth.
The research analysed more than 7,600 frozen embryo transfers and found that some embryos previously considered unlikely to succeed were still capable of leading to successful pregnancies, although at lower rates than embryos without abnormalities.
The findings could help fertility clinics and patients make more informed decisions during IVF treatment, particularly in cases where there are limited embryos available.
Rather than automatically discarding these embryos, the research supports a more evidence-based and personalised approach to fertility care.
For many women, perimenopause can feel confusing and unpredictable, with limited research explaining what is happening in their bodies.
Natural Cycles set out to change that by leading one of the largest studies ever conducted on menstrual and ovulatory patterns, uncovering new insights into how ovulation behaves as women approach menopause.
Conducted in collaboration with researchers from George Washington University, Seattle Clinical Research Center, Gennev and the University of California San Diego, the study analysed nearly one million menstrual cycles from more than 197,000 women aged 18–52 across more than 140 countries.
The scale of this dataset made it possible to explore menstrual patterns and ovulation in far greater detail than has traditionally been possible in women’s health research.
The Femtech World Awards celebrates the innovators, researchers and organisations driving meaningful progress in women’s health.
What happens next
Winners across all categories will be revealed during the virtual ceremony on June 19, with winners receiving a trophy and an interview with a Femtech World journalist.
Women over 40 are seeking raves for mental and physical wellbeing, with a study suggesting the benefits go beyond nightlife.
The findings challenge the idea that nightlife and electronic dance music events are mainly for younger people.
Published in Psychology of Music, the study focused on the common misconception that nightlife is only for younger audiences.
Researchers surveyed 136 female clubbers aged 40 to 65 about their experiences at electronic dance music events.
The study, carried out at the University of Leeds in England, found women reported mental and physical wellbeing benefits from attending these events.
Seeing favourite DJs was the most common motivation, but many women also described dancing as a way to relieve stress and find emotional support.
The research found that 65.9 per cent of participants described attending a rave as “spiritual”, while 62.9 per cent said it offered an escape from everyday life.
A further 58.3 per cent said they felt like a different version of themselves in a club environment.
Nine in ten participants said they felt at home at electronic dance music events, with many pointing to a shared passion for music and the sense of community around it.
The study also suggested physical fitness played a role, with some women saying they had made clubbing part of their regular exercise routine.
However, the findings also highlighted challenges for older women in nightlife spaces.
One fifth of participants said they felt visibly out of place because of their age.
Nearly half reported unwanted physical contact, leading some to seek out different venues or attend only with friends.
Osteoporosis may raise the risk of death in postmenopausal women by up to 47 per cent, a new study suggests.
The findings point to an inverse relationship between femoral bone mineral density and mortality risk, especially within certain ranges.
Femoral bone mineral density is the amount of mineral in the thigh bone, which is often measured to assess bone strength and osteoporosis risk.
Dr Monica Christmas is associate medical director for The Menopause Society.
She said: “Osteoporosis often remains a silent threat after menopause, despite its profound effect on women’s lives—from loss of height, poor balance, and reduced mobility to disfigurement, pain, and even premature death.
“Early screening and preventive measures, including a calcium-rich diet (preferably from food sources), regular weight-bearing exercise, and hormone therapy when appropriate, can significantly improve bone health and reduce risks not only of fractures but also cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and dementia.
“It’s time we bring this conversation to the forefront.”
In the study involving nearly 3,000 postmenopausal women, bone mineral density at four femoral sites was assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, a scan commonly used to measure bone strength and fracture risk.
The analysis found that mortality risk was significantly higher when femoral bone mineral density reached the osteoporotic threshold or when osteoporotic fractures were present.
After full adjustment, osteoporosis was associated with a 47 per cent increased risk of mortality.
A stronger inverse association between increased bone mineral density and mortality risk was seen within specific ranges, suggesting bone mineral density could serve as a prognostic marker of wider health.
The relationship appeared especially notable within the range of 0.46 to 0.71 g/cm² for total femur bone mineral density.
Previous research has shown that postmenopausal women face a significantly higher risk of death within one year of hip or vertebral fractures.
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