Diagnosis

Women as young as 18 are putting their health at risk by donating eggs in exchange for money, campaigners have warned, as donation rates rise. The number of 18 to 25-year-olds signing up with private fertility clinics increased from 190 in 2012 to 509 in 2022, with clinics allowed to pay up to £985 in [...]

Excess weight is linked to a significantly higher risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women who develop heart disease, new research suggests. Each 5 kg/m² increase in body mass index (BMI) was associated with a 31 per cent higher risk of breast cancer in women who developed cardiovascular disease during follow-up, compared to a 13 [...]

Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) is becoming a common part of antenatal care across the UK. Offering a safe, highly accurate way to screen for certain genetic and chromosomal conditions in early pregnancy, NIPT is increasingly chosen by expectant parents who want clearer, earlier insight into their baby’s health. As of June 2021, NIPT has been [...]

Children born by planned caesarean section may face a 21 per cent higher risk of developing acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) later in life, new research has found. The risk was even higher for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL) – the most common form of childhood blood cancer – with a 29 per cent increased risk [...]

A Mumbai-based fertility health-tech startup has raised US$4m in seed funding to expand its services across the city and into other parts of India. Luma Fertility will use the investment to expand its footprint in Mumbai and later scale into other cities over the next two years. The startup operates a 6,000-square-foot facility housing a [...]

Femtech World explores the latest developments in business in the world of women’s health. US$11m to accelerate breakthroughs in breast cancer research Breast cancer organisation Susan G. Komen has announced today that it is awarding US$10.8m in new research grants to help propel innovation in breast cancer research. The research grants will support 25 cutting-edge [...]

A Belfast-based femtech company has launched what it claims is the world’s first AI-powered menstrual tracking system that provides clinical-grade insights into period volume, clotting and cycle trends. Joii’s technology, unveiled in Dublin, combines a specially designed menstrual pad with a mobile app to measure blood volume and clot size in millilitres – offering users [...]

Uterine cancer cases could rise by as much as 53 per cent by 2050, with diets high in junk food and obesity rates believed to be driving the increase. Deaths from the disease are forecast to rise by between 83 and 98 per cent over the next 25 years among women aged 18 to 84. [...]

Removing a US$45 patient fee led to a significant rise in access to 3D mammography, with the greatest benefits seen among racial minorities and non-English speakers, new research suggests. Use of digital breast tomosynthesis – a type of 3D mammogram that provides clearer images to aid cancer detection and reduce false positives – rose by [...]

Lower levels of a gut microbe may help explain why women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) experience fertility issues. New findings suggest that women with PCOS have around half the amount of a gut bacterium called Parabacteroides merdae compared to those without the condition. PCOS is the most common hormonal condition in women of reproductive [...]