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Megestrol, a hot flush drug for breast cancer patients, may also curb tumours when added to standard hormone therapy, an early trial has found. The PIONEER trial tested megestrol acetate, a synthetic form of progesterone, alongside anti-oestrogen treatment in post-menopausal women with ER-positive breast cancer. After two weeks, patients on the combination saw greater falls [...]

Femtech World explores the latest business developments in the world of women’s health. FemHealth Ventures closes oversubscribed US$65m Fund II FemHealth Ventures, a women’s health-focused venture capital firm, has closed on FemHealth Ventures Fund II at US$65m. The oversubscribed raise brings the firm’s assets under management to US$100m across two funds and further solidifies FemHealth [...]

A petition calling on the UK government to introduce menstrual leave for women with gynaecological conditions has gathered nearly 75,000 signatures. The campaign needs 100,000 signatures by 29 January 2026 for a debate in Parliament. It would allow three extra sick days a year for people with endometriosis, adenomyosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Similar [...]

By Ruby Raut, founder and CEO, WUKA If you have ever noticed that your cramps feel sharper, your mood dips harder, or your energy seems to disappear during the colder months, you are not imagining it. Winter can genuinely make periods feel more painful and more difficult to manage. The combination of cold weather, less [...]

By Ruby Raut, founder and CEO, WUKA When we think of period products, the usual concerns are comfort, absorbency, cost and maybe sustainability. But there is another dimension — one less talked about but increasingly evidenced: chemical exposure via intimate-use products, and what this might mean for hormones, fertility, our microbiome and long-term health. What [...]

With delayed parenthood now the norm, a new wave of biotech innovators is targeting the root cause of rising infertility rates. Oxford-based startup U-Ploid tells Femtech World how addressing egg ageing could reduce the “age penalty” that currently defines fertility outcomes. Infertility now affects an estimated one in six people worldwide, with the World Health [...]

By Ruby Raut, founder and CEO, WUKA Over the past year, headlines about “toxic period products” have been hard to ignore. Stories about PFAS, heavy metals, and hormone disruptors in pads, tampons, and underwear have sparked global concern, and for good reason. But behind the fear, there’s a scientific story worth understanding. At the recent [...]

Women experience slightly worse recovery than men in the first year after stroke, with more difficulty with daily tasks such as eating, dressing and driving. The differences persisted after adjusting for age, race and ethnicity, education and insurance status, according to the study. The research, led by Chen Chen at the University of Michigan, examined [...]

Caesarean births (surgical births) have overtaken vaginal deliveries in England for the first time, with 45 per cent of births now by caesarean, NHS data show. Last year, 44 per cent of births were through natural vaginal deliveries and 11 per cent were assisted with instruments such as forceps or ventouse, according to data published [...]

A large real-world study has found that an AI-powered digital tool developed by Megi Health can significantly reduce blood pressure over time while maintaining high long-term patient engagement -  a combination that has remained a major challenge in hypertension care. The peer-reviewed research, published in JMIR mHealth and uHealth, analysed real-world data from more than [...]