News
Research roundup: Advancing the understanding of female infertility, Hormone therapy in older women linked to tau accumulation, and more
Femtech World explores the latest research developments in the world of women’s health.
Breast cancer death rates have stopped going down
A new paper indicates that breast cancer mortality rates have stopped declining in women older than age 74, reconfirming that breast cancer mortality rates have stopped falling in women younger than age 40. This finding for older women is new.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American women, with over 42,000 women dying of the disease in 2024. Before 1990, female breast cancer rates had been rising, and breast cancer mortality rates had been flat or increasing. Since 1990 there has been a steady decline in breast cancer mortality rates, which public health observers attribute both to the widespread use of mammograms and improvements in treatment.
The investigators conducting this study contend that mortality rates have stopped declining for women under 40 and over 74 due to significant increases in stage IV breast cancers at diagnosis in these two age groups. Stage IV (metastatic) breast cancer at diagnosis has an extremely poor prognosis: a 31 per cent five-year survival rate.
This study indicates that increasing rates of advanced stage breast cancer at diagnosis is an important reason breast cancer mortality rates are no longer declining at the rate they once did. The researchers believe that this may be due to healthcare protocols.
The researchers say that the fact that breast cancer mortality rates have stopped declining for women over age 74 is an alarming new trend.
Menopause symptoms associated with future memory and neuropsychiatric problems
Women who exhibit more menopausal symptoms are more likely to later have poorer cognitive function and mild behavioral impairments, both markers of dementia, a new study has shown.
Females are known to have a three-fold greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and will be disproportionately affected by the increasing global dementia burden. A proposed factor that may confer special risk to females is the loss of estradiol at menopause.
In the new study, women who reported more perimenopausal symptoms had greater cognitive impairment, with higher ECog-II total scores as well as more mild behavioural impairment symptoms in mid- to late life, with higher MBI-C total scores.
Hormone therapy was not significantly associated with cognitive function but was linked to fewer behavioural symptoms.
The authors conclude that a higher menopausal symptom burden may indicate susceptibility to cognitive and behavioural changes later in life.
Findings may advance understanding of infertility in mothers
Oxytocin may have a newfound purpose in mammalian reproduction. In times of maternal stress, the hormone can delay an embryo’s development for days to weeks after conception, a new study in rodents shows. According to the authors, the findings about so-called “diapause” may offer new insights into pregnancy and fertility issues faced by humans.
Led by researchers at NYU Langone Health, the study explored diapause, in which an embryo temporarily stops growing early in its development before it attaches to the lining of its mother’s uterus, a key step leading to the formation of the placenta.
Known to occur in species ranging from armadillos to giant pandas to seals, diapause is thought to have evolved to help expectant mothers preserve scarce resources (e.g., breast milk) by delaying birth until they have enough to successfully take care of their offspring.
Although recent studies have uncovered evidence that a form of diapause may occur in humans, the underlying mechanisms behind it have until now remained unclear.
The findings in mice showed that one type of stress that may cause diapause is milk production and release (lactation), as it requires a mother to expend bodily nutrients to both nursing, already-born pups and to those growing in the womb.
The study revealed that the time between conception and birth (gestation), typically 20 days for these animals, was delayed by about a week in pregnant rodents that were already nursing a litter.
Further, the research team showed that this delay was brought about by a rise in the production of oxytocin, levels of which are known to go up as a mother lactates.
To confirm this role for the hormone, the researchers exposed mouse embryos in the lab to a single dose (either 1 microgram or 10 micrograms) of oxytocin, and found that even these small amounts delayed their implantation in the uterus by as much as three days.
Beyond just pausing pregnancy, the team found that surges of the chemical large enough to mimic the amounts and timing measured during nursing caused loss of pregnancy in the mice in nearly all cases.
The ‘silent’ X chromosome gives the ageing female brain a boost
Researchers may have discovered how the female brain remains resilient in ageing, potentially explaining how most women outlive men and retain their cognitive abilities longer.
Females carry two X chromosomes. One of them is ensconced in a corner in the cell called the Barr body, where it can’t express many genes, and scientists thought it didn’t do much of anything.
But the research team from UCSF discovered that as female mice reached the equivalent of about 65 human years, their ‘silent’ second X started expressing genes that bolster the brain’s connections, increasing cognition.
“In typical ageing, women have a brain that looks younger, with fewer cognitive deficits compared to men,” said Dena Dubal, MD, PhD, a professor of neurology and the David A. Coulter Endowed Chair in Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease at UCSF.
“These results show that the silent X in females actually reawakens late in life, probably helping to slow cognitive decline.”
Hormone therapy in older women linked to tau accumulation
A new study from Mass General Brigham researchers has found faster accumulation of tau, a key indicator of Alzheimer’s disease, in the brains of women over the age of 70 who took menopausal hormone therapy (HT) more than a decade before.
The results could help inform discussions between patients and clinicians about Alzheimer’s disease risk and HT treatment.
While the researchers did not see a significant difference in amyloid beta accumulation, they did find a significant difference in how fast regional tau accumulated in the brains of women over the age of 70, with women who had taken HT showing faster tau accumulation in specific regions of the brain. This difference was not seen in women younger than 70.
Studying the structure of energy transport enzymes could lead to new breast cancer treatments
Cancer cells hijack various cellular functions to find and exploit energy and other resources, including a group of enzymes called creatine kinases (CK) that help normal cells maintain a balance of energy.
These enzymes allow cells to transport energy produced at the mitochondria to where it is needed throughout the cell. Cancer cells rely on this machinery for shuttling energy to help meet their ravenous fuel demands. Studies of breast cancer cells have highlighted the importance of a type of CK called ubiquitous mitochondrial creatine kinase (uMtCK).
Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys and the Mayo Clinic published findings that provide a detailed structure of human uMtCK and show how its structure changes when bound to the energy storage molecules creatine or adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
To ascertain the structure of uMtCK, the scientists captured images using cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). This technology enables investigators to create 3D images of proteins and their ligands by rendering individual atoms. These blueprints may help scientists design new treatments that can stop cancer cells from seizing control of the cells’ energy supply chain to slow or stop tumor growth.
In addition to uncovering the 3D structures of uMtCK and how it interacts with other players involved in energy transport, the research team also tested the only available CK inhibitor called CKi to determine its potential to interrupt abnormal energy transport in breast cancer cells.
The scientists found that CKi successfully reduces breast cancer cell growth. The findings and tools used in this study helped validate that inhibition of the pathway can be effective for the treatment of breast cancer. However, CKi has been shown not to be selective for uMtCK, meaning it is likely to shut down other cellular processes that can lead to high toxicity.
New STI impacts 1 in 3 women: Landmark study reveals men are the missing link
A landmark study reveals that bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition affecting nearly a third of women worldwide and causing infertility, premature births and newborn deaths, is in fact a sexually transmitted infection (STI), paving the way for a revolution in how it is treated.
Monash University and Alfred Health researchers at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre say their findings hold the key to driving down stubborn and distressing recurrence rates of BV among women.
Authors Professor Catriona Bradshaw and Dr Lenka Vodstrcil say the standard practice of treating BV as an imbalance (disruption) to the vaginal microbiome means that more than 50 per cent of women get it back within three months after the standard week-long treatment of an oral antibiotic.
In their trial of 164 couples with BV in monogamous relationships, they found that treating BV as an STI, with both sexual partners treated simultaneously, achieves significantly higher cure rates than the current practice of only treating women.
In fact, they stopped the trial early when it became clear that BV recurrence was halved in the partner treatment group compared to treating women alone.
Congress is being urged to invest US$20bn over 10 years to close the women’s health gap.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Society for Women’s Health Research and the Women First Research Coalition have unveiled the National Strategy to Close the Women’s Health Gap.
The framework calls for a coordinated national effort to improve women’s health research, care and outcomes.
It says women make up more than half of the US population, but their health needs across conditions and life stages have been understudied and underserved for decades.
Kathryn Schubert, president and chief executive of the Society for Women’s Health Research, said: “The women’s health gap has persisted for far too long.
“This strategy offers Congress a road map to improve health outcomes, drive innovation, and build a healthier future for women, families, and communities.”
The strategy notes that Congress required women to be included in National Institutes of Health-funded clinical research through the NIH Revitalization Act in 1993.
However, it says major gaps remain in women’s health research, clinical care and how evidence is put into practice.
The plan proposes US$7bn for research and innovation, including expanded federal investment in women’s health research across the NIH, VA, DoD and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health.
It would also establish a Women’s Health Research Interdisciplinary Fund at the NIH and create a national network of Women’s Health Centers of Excellence.
The centres would aim to accelerate the translation of research into clinical care and serve as training sites for researchers and clinicians.
A further US$1bn would be used for regulatory coordination and modernisation, including cross-agency collaboration and work to address sex differences in drug and treatment approvals.
Sex differences are biological differences between females and males that can affect disease risk, symptoms, treatment response and side-effects.
The funding would also support updated NIH tracking systems for women’s health research investment and publication standards on how sex as a biological variable is considered in research.
The strategy calls for US$4bn for data and evidence infrastructure, including a public-private partnership focused on women’s midlife health data.
It would also convene a public workshop to review existing women’s health research datasets and develop common data elements to fill gaps and make datasets more widely available.
Another US$7bn would go towards strengthening the clinical and research workforce.
This would include career pathways, loan repayment programmes, a women’s health clinical workforce loan repayment programme modelled on the National Health Service Corps and interdisciplinary training.
The workforce measures would include particular emphasis on rural and underserved areas.
The final US$1bn would support public awareness and education campaigns to improve health literacy, preventive care and participation in women’s health research.
Health literacy means a person’s ability to find, understand and use health information to make decisions about care.
The campaigns would use digital and traditional media developed in consultation with patient advocacy organisations and relevant medical societies.
Sandra E Brooks, chief executive of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said: “Closing the women’s health gap requires not only funding research, but also investment in the people who conduct that research and those who translate research findings and discoveries into better patient care.
“Strengthening the women’s health research and clinical workforce is critical to accelerating the innovation needed to improve health outcomes for women.”
The strategy says women have higher annual out-of-pocket healthcare costs than men and live 25 per cent of their lives in poorer health.
Supporters say this strengthens the economic and public health case for long-term congressional investment.
The framework has been endorsed by organisations across women’s health, ageing, heart disease, autoimmune disease, cancer, reproductive medicine and neurological conditions, including the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement at Cleveland Clinic, the National MS Society and UsAgainstAlzheimer’s.
Stardust shared sensitive period tracking data with third-party analytics firms, according to new privacy research from Mozilla.
The findings expose a privacy divide in femtech, where users often trust apps with highly sensitive reproductive health information.
The research was carried out by Mozilla’s Privacy Not Included team, which tested several period tracking apps.
It found that Stardust, a period tracker used by millions, shared users’ reproductive health data with analytics companies, a practice the research said contrasted with its privacy-first marketing.
Analytics companies collect and examine information about how people use digital products, often to help businesses understand user behaviour or improve marketing.
The findings raise questions about whether privacy promises made by health apps match what happens to users’ data.
According to research reported by TechCrunch, one other period tracking app tested by Mozilla received what researchers called a “squeaky clean” rating, suggesting similar services can operate without sharing sensitive health data in the same way.
Period tracking apps have come under greater scrutiny in the US since the 2022 overturning of Roe v Wade, which removed federal constitutional protection for abortion.
Some users and privacy advocates have warned that menstrual and reproductive health data could potentially be sought in legal cases.
The research also points to a broader regulatory problem for consumer health apps.
In the US, many health apps are not covered by HIPAA, the health privacy law that applies to medical providers and some healthcare organisations.
That means some consumer apps may be able to collect, share or monetise sensitive health data under rules that differ from traditional healthcare privacy protections.
The femtech market, estimated in the report at US$50bn, has grown quickly, but privacy regulation has not always kept pace with app development.
Stardust had not publicly responded to Mozilla’s findings at the time of the original report, and its privacy policy remained live on its website.
The issue is particularly sensitive for period tracking because the data can reveal patterns around fertility, pregnancy, contraception and reproductive health.
Mozilla’s wider Privacy Not Included initiative has examined consumer technology products for privacy and security concerns since launching in 2017, including connected devices, children’s toys and health apps.
The findings come as US lawmakers continue to debate stronger federal privacy rules for sensitive health information collected by consumer apps.
The American Data Privacy and Protection Act, which has been stalled in Congress since 2023, includes provisions addressing sensitive health information collected by consumer apps.
Experts have also warned that anonymised health data can sometimes be re-identified when combined with other information, such as location data.
Re-identification means linking supposedly anonymous data back to a specific person.
A 2019 study found that menstrual cycle data combined with location information could identify individual users with high accuracy.
State-level privacy laws in places such as California, Virginia and Colorado have also given consumers new rights around personal data, although enforcement can vary.
Privacy advocates say the research underlines the need for clearer data practices, stronger safeguards and greater transparency in femtech.
For users, the findings are a reminder that health apps do not automatically protect health information in the same way as healthcare providers.
The report suggests period tracker companies that put privacy first may be better placed to build trust in a market where long-term use depends on confidence.
Mozilla’s investigation suggests privacy promises in femtech do not always match practice, and that period trackers can function without sharing sensitive user data in the same way.
Juno Bio has secured US$3.8m to expand its diagnostics platform for vaginal health and reproductive care.
The funding round was led by Ada Ventures, with participation from Artesian, Entrepreneur First and Illumina Accelerator.
The women’s health startup said the seed funding will support the launch of its first CLIA-certified sequencing laboratory in Oakland, California, and a new clinical vaginal microbiome and STI test for healthcare providers.
CLIA certification refers to US laboratory standards for testing human samples used in diagnosis, prevention or treatment decisions.
Dr Leighton Turner, co-founder and chief scientific officer of Juno Bio, said: “The vaginal microbiome is still one of the least understood systems in the body at a clinical scale.
“With our lab, we’re starting to build a measurement standard that clinicians can actually use.
“We believe the level of detail from this kind of testing can meaningfully improve how vaginal healthcare is provided.”
The company is developing precision diagnostics for vaginal health, where patients can experience recurring symptoms, inconsistent diagnoses and treatments based on trial and error.
Juno Bio said bringing testing in-house gives it greater control over the process, from sample handling to results, while allowing it to refine its technology and build what it says is one of the largest datasets focused on the vaginal microbiome.
The vaginal microbiome is the community of bacteria and fungi that naturally live in the vagina. Changes in this balance can be linked to infections, symptoms and wider reproductive health issues.
Juno Bio’s newly launched clinical test examines the wider vaginal microbiome and screens for four common sexually transmitted infections, or STIs.
Rather than looking for a single cause, the test is intended to give clinicians a broader picture of what may be contributing to symptoms.
Juno Bio says this matters because multiple infections can occur at the same time and microbiome changes may be linked to fertility, menopause or recurrent infections.
Dr Anna Powell of Johns Hopkins said: “Vaginal microbiome testing has the potential to significantly reshape how we understand and manage vaginal health, particularly for patients with recurrent or unexplained symptoms.
“While the field is still evolving, advances in sequencing and data interpretation are moving us closer to a future where more personalised, microbiome-informed care can complement existing diagnostic approaches.”
Check Warner, co-founding partner at Ada Ventures, added: “Juno Bio is setting a new standard for how vaginal health is understood and managed.
“What they’ve built at this stage, with this level of capital efficiency, is exceptional.
“We’re proud to support the team as they scale their clinical infrastructure and continue leading innovation in this critically underserved category.”
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