Diagnosis

Structured infection prevention and treatment cuts maternal deaths and severe complications by nearly one-third, a trial in 59 hospitals has found. The APT-Sepsis intervention, tested on more than 430,000 women in Malawi and Uganda, showed that systematic improvements in hygiene, infection management and sepsis care reduced maternal mortality in low-resource settings. Maternal sepsis, a life-threatening [...]

Research suggests Jinfeng Pills may restore a thin endometrium, a cause of infertility in up to 2.5 per cent of women. The study found that Jinfeng Pills, a traditional Chinese herbal formula used historically in the Chinese imperial harem, increased endometrial thickness in female rats. The treatment improved glandular and vascular density and boosted molecular [...]

Roche’s experimental oral drug giredestrant improved disease-free survival after breast cancer surgery in an interim late-stage trial, the company said. A scheduled interim analysis found the pill delivered a clinically meaningful improvement in keeping patients disease-free after surgery, outperforming standard endocrine therapy. Disease-free survival means the cancer has not returned after treatment. Roche announced the [...]

Researchers have secured US$3m to study how brain pain pathways influence endometriosis treatment outcomes, potentially explaining why 25 to 40 per cent of patients do not respond. The project will use neuroimaging to identify brain signatures that could predict which patients benefit from surgery or hormonal treatment. USC researchers Jason Kutch and Neda Jahanshad received [...]

Two-thirds of pregnancies involve weight gain outside recommended pregnancy weight ranges, linked to complications including preterm birth and neonatal intensive care admissions, research shows. Analysis of 1.6 million women found only 32 per cent gained the recommended amount of weight during gestation, with 23 per cent below and 45 per cent above guidelines. Gestational weight [...]

UK biowearable startup Emm has raised £6.8m to launch what it claims will be the world's first smart menstrual cup with connected app. The London-based company says its device measures flow volume and tracks cycle metrics such as duration, frequency and regularity, offering personalised health insights. The cup uses medical-grade silicone with sensors developed over [...]

Alarming increases in HIV diagnoses among women require urgent government focus, with new cases rising 33 per cent between 2019 and 2024, MPs have warned. Sexual health services are "extremely stretched" with funding "pared to the bone", threatening the UK's ability to meet the United Nations AIDS 2030 zero transmission target, according to the Women [...]

Femtech World explores the latest research and technology developments in the world of women’s health. New insulin delivery technology supports healthier pregnancies An international study has found new insulin delivery technology helps control glucose levels during pregnancy for those with Type 1 diabetes, which is crucial to the health of women and their newborns. The [...]

IVF-conceived mice show about 30 per cent more DNA mutations than naturally conceived pups, researchers report, though they caution the findings do not directly translate to humans. Researchers compared genome sequences of laboratory mice conceived naturally with those conceived through assisted reproductive technologies, including hormone treatments, in vitro fertilisation and embryo transfer. Fertility-treated pups had [...]

Researchers have created a therapeutic HPV vaccine delivered through the nose that could offer a non-invasive treatment for cervical cancer. Screening for HPV and preventive vaccines lower risk, but there are no approved therapies for existing HPV infections or HPV-linked cancers. Current treatments include surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Researchers from Chiba University, Japan, [...]