How can tech improve life for endometriosis sufferers?

Endometriosis is a condition affecting women of any age, where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes.

It’s a long-term condition which is often accompanied by a number of debilitating symptoms, including tummy, back or pelvic pain, pain during or after sex, and nausea, constipation, diarrhoea, or blood in urine during menstruation.

It can also cause fertility issues, with sufferers having difficulty getting pregnant.

There is no cure for endometriosis as yet, although there are treatments that can help.

And, with the rise in femtech, there are a number of technological advances that can help manage the condition and its symptoms. Femtech World looks at the latest innovations…

Diagnostic support

Like many other women’s health conditions, endometriosis is under-researched, under-served and under-funded.

This has the knock-on effect of making it little understood, by patients and clinicians alike, meaning diagnosis is often missed; in fact, according to Endometriosis UK, it takes an average of 7.5 years to get diagnosed.

The delay in diagnosis, along with the current care experience, was the catalyst behind Syrona Health’s SORA app.

Syrona is a femtech firm co-founded by Chantelle Bell and Anya Roy, who met at the University of Cambridge, to support women’s health, with a particular focus on gynaecological issues.

Last year, the firm launched the SORA app to allow women to track their endometriosis and other health symptoms such as mood, exercise and sleep, as well as giving them access to a patient community, and doctor-approved insights.

To increase engagement and retention, the app also features an element of gamification. Users can collect points for tracking their symptoms, which can be exchanged for premium products and services. Hormone test kits, while not endometriosis-specific, can also help answer fertility-related questions, which are often a major concern for women living with endometriosis.

Endodiag is a French startup which is working on a new endometriosis diagnostic solution called EndoSearch.

The non-invasive diagnostic test can assess the presence of endometriosis without surgery, which may lead to a quicker, easier diagnosis. The company aims to diagnose better, provide more personalised assistance, and more efficient treatment options and fertility strategies.

Better understanding

Endometriosis, its causes and its triggers are little understood, despite affecting as many as one in 10 women.

However, Philippa Saunders and Andrew Horne, founders and co-directors of the EXPPECT Centre for Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis at the university, believe that using ‘smart’ technologies could create a better understanding of the condition.

In a new study, the team will consider the benefits of combining a wearable, clinical-grade biosensor with a mobile phone app where patients can provide information about their symptoms, helping researchers to gather objective and detailed data to monitor and assess patients’ physical activity, sleep and other everyday behaviours.

Such information could then be used to develop further treatments and options for endometriosis sufferers.

Pain relief

One of the main symptoms of endometriosis is pain, either in the back, tummy or pelvis, which may be worse during menstruation.

Currently, the only accepted method of relieving the pain is through traditional over-the-counter painkillers, but many women, understandably, are reluctant to take these too regularly.

Ovira was created to offer a new solution to endometriosis and also period pain, using Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) technology.

The tech works by overloading the user’s nervous system in order to reduce its ability to transmit pain signals to the brain.

The firm has created a small, wearable and reusable TENS device called Noha; small pads that are attached to the wearer’s abdomen or back and transmit electrical signals to block the pain.

It is cost-efficient and drug-free, with no known side effects, making it a realistic option for women who don’t want to rely on OTC drugs.

Period tracking

While menstrual trackers cannot help with the pain of endometriosis, they can help women feel more in control of their cycles, meaning they can plan around their symptoms, as well as arming them with enough information for a diagnosis.

The most well-known of these is probably Clue, which allows users to track the following symptoms, which may be of use for managing the condition:

• Bleeding patterns (including spotting)
• Pain
• Menstrual heaviness
• Energy
• Bowel habits
• Gastrointestinal symptoms
• Contraception use

All of the above can help women build up a fuller picture of their symptoms, when they happen and how to manage them. It can also be useful evidence ahead of a diagnosis, to speed up the process.

Endometriosis is often seen as a silent condition, with little research and information available, and many women ascribing symptoms to ‘just’ their normal menstrual cycle.

However, the world of femtech, which is led largely by innovative female entrepreneurs, is looking to chance that, giving endo sufferers a voice.