Research

A new device could detect a key endometriosis biomarker in menstrual blood within 10 minutes, researchers have found. The test identifies HMGB1 – a protein linked to the development and progression of endometriosis – and showed 500 per cent greater sensitivity than current lab-based methods. It works similarly to a pregnancy test. Dr [...]

Toxic PFAS chemicals have been detected in some reusable menstrual underwear and pads, with one-third of tested items showing signs of intentional use. Researchers analysed 59 products, including 43 pairs of period underwear, eight reusable pads, four menstrual cups, three reusable incontinence underwear and one reusable incontinence pad. PFAS – short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl [...]

Parents who have experienced pregnancy loss are contributing data from apps and fitness trackers to help shape future support and improve maternal care services. The initiative aims to create a new model giving families more control over how personal data — such as entries from wellbeing apps and diaries — is used to support others. [...]

Sexually transmitted infections during pregnancy are linked to higher risks of preterm birth, stillbirth and babies born smaller than expected, a large Australian study has found. Researchers analysed almost 60,000 births in the Northern Territory between 2005 and 2020, identifying strong associations between maternal infections and adverse birth outcomes. Congenital syphilis was found to triple [...]

UK students lose around six weeks of academic time during their degrees due to menstrual health issues, with 70 per cent struggling to concentrate during assessments. Students diagnosed with conditions such as endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) reported missing around 11 weeks across a three-year course. Endometriosis causes tissue similar to the womb lining [...]

Women in high-poverty areas saw memory decline of 7 per cent per decade in midlife, with even sharper drops of 10 per cent among Black women. The study tracked 1,391 women in the US for up to 13.5 years and found that exposure to concentrated neighbourhood poverty was associated with sharper decline in episodic memory [...]

Parents in their early 30s report fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety than peers without children, but gender and income gaps in mental health still remain. A new study shows that mothers and fathers aged 32 in England reported slightly lower levels of anxiety and depression, and greater life satisfaction, than those without children. However, [...]

Maternal deaths rose from 209 to 254 between 2015–17 and 2021–23, despite fewer births, new data from the House of Commons library has revealed. The death rate increased from 9.16 to 12.67 per 100,000 births over the same period. A maternal death is defined as one occurring during pregnancy or within 42 days of the [...]

A grandfather’s contact with environmental chemicals could influence when his granddaughter starts her period, new research suggests. Scientists found that exposure to certain chemicals in both parents—particularly fathers—was linked to earlier puberty onset in daughters and granddaughters, with the average age falling by one year between generations. Researchers from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public [...]

Targeted radiotherapy is as effective as full-breast treatment for low-risk breast cancer but causes fewer side effects, a decade-long UK study has found. Partial-breast radiotherapy, which directs radiation only to the area around the tumour rather than the entire breast, reduced long-term complications while maintaining a 3 per cent recurrence rate. More than 9,000 women [...]