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Scientists have warned that chemicals in plastics are driving falling sperm counts, after talks on a global pollution treaty collapsed over disputes about chemical regulation. Last week, after nearly two weeks of negotiations, delegates left Geneva on Friday without agreement, after oil- and gas-producing nations objected to production limits and chemical curbs. Almost 100 nations [...]

By Heather Frame, BSN, RN In my work with fertility patients, one question I hear again and again is: “Why does it seem harder to get pregnant now than it used to?” It’s not just perception. The numbers show a clear shift. In 2024, the United States (U.S.) lifetime fertility rate hit a historic low [...]

By Ruby Raut, Founder & CEO of WUKA At WUKA, we’ve always believed that no girl should feel sidelined by her period. As a sustainable, innovation-led period underwear brand, our mission goes far beyond products — it’s deeply personal. I grew up in Nepal, where menstruation was steeped in stigma. I wasn’t allowed in the [...]

A quarter of mothers on maternity leave do not return to work or quit within a year of going back, with 83 per cent blaming poor employer support. The survey found half of women coming back from maternity leave were treated differently, with a third saying colleagues acted as if they had taken a break. [...]

Mifepristone, widely used in medical abortions, may also lower breast cancer risk in women more likely to develop the disease. Doctors and scientists say stigma surrounding mifepristone is deterring pharmaceutical firms from examining its use as a preventive drug, even though three studies suggest it can slow cancer cell growth. They argue the drug’s link [...]

A biomedical engineer is tackling the painful reality of gynaecological procedures, with a “phantom uterus” that offers a safe, anatomically accurate platform for designing and testing medical devices, with the potential to transform comfort, safety and innovation in women’s healthcare. Women-specific medical devices have received little attention in science and medical research, resulting in few [...]

Missed medical appointments cost billions, and can mean the difference between early detection and a devastating diagnosis. A pioneering AI platform is tackling medical ‘no-shows’ and getting more women into lifesaving cervical screenings. The US loses US$150bn to missed medical appointments each year, with the cost of no-shows thought to be around £1.2bn in the [...]

Gameto has recruited its first Phase 3 patients for a biotechnology programme aimed at expanding reproductive health options. The $44m Series C round, led by Overwater Ventures with multiple other investors, brings the company’s total funding to $127m – one of the largest investments in the US reproductive biopharma sector. The funding will complete Gameto’s [...]

Femtech World explores the latest research and science developments in the world of women’s health. AI models independently interpret mammograms AI models have shown excellent performance for detecting breast cancers on mammography images. The algorithms, submitted for a 2023 AI Challenge hosted by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), demonstrated increased screening sensitivity while [...]

A community group is encouraging conversations about menopause in the South Asian community in a bid to tackle the stigma around its effects. South Asian Voices Bristol CIC has launched its Empowering women through menopause project with help from the National Lottery’s Community Fund. The group was founded by vlogger Sheetal Jethwa who struggled with [...]