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UK university experts to partner on reproductive health research

The initiative will be covering all aspects of the reproductive lifecourse, including menopause, contraception, infertility and urogynaecology

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A group of UK university experts will collaborate on researching policy and patient experience for reproductive health provision, as part of a new Policy Research Unit (PRU).

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has awarded over £100m in funding to 20 new PRUs across England.

An estimated £20m of this funding has been given to PRUs being hosted by University College London, one of which will focus on reproductive health.

Covering all aspects of the reproductive lifecourse, including menopause, contraception, infertility and urogynaecology, the PRU will be a collaboration between the Universities of Birmingham, Oxford and Warwick, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Hywel Dda University Health Board.

“This much welcomed funding, going to a range of important health care issues, has rightly prioritised reproductive health,” said professor Dame Lesley Regan, women’s health ambassador for England.

“This is an important step in our mission to deliver the Women’s Health Strategy and emphasises the vital role that research plays in our understanding of the key issues that will determine how we improve women’s health and wellbeing.”

Dr Louise Jackson, associate professor at the Institute of Applied Health Research at the University of Birmingham, will be providing health economics expertise, reflecting her experience in evaluating interventions across a wide range of reproductive health and women’s health, including integrated health services, referral pathways and remote consultations for sexual and reproductive health.

She will also be co-leading the Models of Care theme, which will involve exploring and evaluating different ways of providing care for reproductive health, including through digital technology.

She commented: “The Institute of Applied Health Research has a reputation for impactful research in reproductive health and women’s health, both within the UK and globally.

“I am looking forward to working as part of the PRU’s multidisciplinary team to ensure government and arm’s length bodies have the best possible information and economic evidence available when making policy decisions about reproductive health.”

Fiona de Londras, professor of global legal studies at Birmingham Law School – who will be providing reproductive rights expertise across the PRU’s research, – added: “I am very pleased to bring this expertise to the PRU, and to ensure the full integration of human rights in the economic, evaluative, clinical, and participatory work that this vital investment in reproductive health will undertake.”

News

Femtech World Awards 2026: Winners revealed

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We are excited to reveal the winners of the third annual Femtech World Awards.

The winners were announced at a virtual event this afternoon attended by shortlisted companies, along with sponsors and judges.

The event welcomed guests from the UK, Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.

Thank you to all 174 entries, as well as the sponsors for making the event possible.

See you in 2027!

Femtech World Awards 2026 Winners

Winner:

Shortlisted:

IVI RMA x Juno Genetics

Natural Cycles

Winner:

Highly commended:

U-Ploid

Shortlisted:

Hello Inside

Winner:

WISE HF, led by Prof. Mary Ryder

Highly commended:

Cardiac College for Women

Shortlisted:

Hyvelle Ferguson-Davis

CognitiveCare

Winner:

Highly commended:

Youterus

Shortlisted:

ŌURA

Winner:

Shortlisted:

LeanShield by ParrotPal Group

Perigen

Winner:

Shortlisted:

Body Moody

Looop

Winner:

Shortlisted:

Owning Your Menopause

Womeno

Winner:

Shortlisted:

The Blue Box

Celbrea

Winner:

Shortlisted:

HealCycle

Mor

Winner:

Shortlisted:

HRC Fertility

Mira

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Motherhood

Expectations about sleep affect postpartum sleep quality, study finds

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Pregnant women’s expectations about postpartum sleep may predict sleep quality after birth, outweighing prior sleep and psychiatric history, a study suggests.

The findings suggest attitudes and beliefs about sleep during pregnancy could be a modifiable risk factor for postpartum sleep concerns.

They also indicate that, among women expecting the poorest sleep, higher postpartum anxiety may further worsen sleep quality.

Sammy Dhaliwal, lead author is clinical health psychologist and research fellow in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dhaliwal said: “Most pregnant women in our sample anticipated poor postpartum sleep before it occurred, and it was striking that those expectations predicted worse sleep outcomes even after accounting for factors such as prior sleep disorders, psychiatric history, and number of previous births.

“This suggests that attitudes and beliefs about sleep during pregnancy may represent a modifiable target for early intervention before postpartum sleep problems emerge.”

Sleep disturbance affects an estimated 60 to 80 per cent of postpartum women and is linked to a higher risk of depression and anxiety.

Researchers said it is often regarded as an expected part of life after childbirth rather than a health issue that may be addressed earlier.

The study enrolled 432 pregnant women at about 24 weeks of gestation, meaning around 24 weeks into pregnancy.

Participants completed measures of their expectations about postpartum sleep, current sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and mood using validated depression and anxiety scales.

Assessments were repeated at six, 12 and 24 weeks postpartum.

A subset of 49 women also wore wrist actigraphy devices at six to eight weeks postpartum.

Actigraphy uses a wearable device, similar to a watch, to estimate sleep and wake patterns based on movement.

The results showed that 70 per cent of pregnant women, or 301 of 432 participants, expected poor sleep in the postpartum period.

Researchers found that predicted sleep disruption during pregnancy was a significant predictor of postpartum sleep concerns.

Among first-time pregnant women without prior health concerns, those who expected greater sleep disturbance had significantly more disrupted sleep after birth, measured by both actigraphy and self-report.

Among women who expected the worst sleep quality, higher postpartum anxiety significantly worsened both measured sleep and self-reported sleep, independent of anxiety levels during pregnancy.

Dhaliwal said the findings point to two possible areas for intervention: addressing sleep-related beliefs during pregnancy and treating postpartum anxiety.

Dhaliwal said: “Postpartum sleep disruption is often treated only after problems develop, but our findings suggest there may be an opportunity to intervene earlier during pregnancy.

“Addressing sleep-related beliefs and postpartum anxiety during prenatal and postpartum care may help improve sleep and emotional well-being in new mothers.”

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Fertility

Weight loss jab shows early promise in improving PMOS fertility

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A weight loss jab may improve fertility outcomes in women with PMOS, early findings from an ongoing clinical trial suggest.

The proof-of-concept analysis found that injectable semaglutide may offer reproductive benefits while also addressing obesity and metabolic dysfunction.

It is the first report to examine how injectable semaglutide may improve reproductive outcomes in women with PMOS while also addressing obesity and metabolic dysfunction.

The work forms part of the ongoing RESTORE clinical trial.

Melanie Cree, professor at CU Anschutz and first author of the report, said: “Women with PMOS frequently face a frustrating choice between treatments that target reproductive symptoms and those that address metabolic health.

“Our early findings suggest injectable semaglutide may have the potential to improve both, offering a more comprehensive approach to care.

“This medication is incredibly promising when someone responds with 10 per cent weight loss.”

The trial is examining whether semaglutide can restore ovulation and improve reproductive health in adolescents and adults with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, known as PMOS.

PMOS, formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS, is a hormone and metabolic condition linked to irregular periods, raised testosterone levels, infertility risk, obesity and increased cardiometabolic disease.

Cardiometabolic disease refers to conditions linked to the heart and metabolism, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

Existing treatments, including metformin and hormonal contraceptives, often do not fully address reproductive and metabolic complications at the same time.

The analysis focused on participants aged 12 to 35 who lost at least 10 per cent of their body weight during treatment.

Researchers said reproductive improvements appeared earlier than expected, prompting them to report preliminary findings while the wider study continues.

Cree is also a paediatric endocrinologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Endocrinologists are doctors who specialise in hormones and hormone-related conditions.

Cree said: “What makes this work particularly important is that it focuses specifically on women with PMOS receiving injectable semaglutide.

“Although GLP-1 medications have transformed obesity treatment, there remains a significant need for rigorous data examining how these therapies affect fertility and reproductive function in this population.”

The RESTORE study is evaluating semaglutide treatment in girls and women with PMOS and obesity.

Its broader aim is to determine whether weight loss and metabolic improvements can restore ovulation and improve reproductive outcomes.

Ovulation is the release of an egg from the ovary, a key part of the menstrual cycle and fertility.

The authors said the findings are from an early proof-of-concept analysis and that larger, longer-term studies will be needed to confirm whether the reproductive benefits last.

The findings suggest injectable semaglutide may become a treatment option for women with PMOS seeking improvements in both metabolic and reproductive health, if future studies confirm the results.

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