Improving women’s health hasn’t been the medical industry’s priority for many years. Even in wealthy countries, research for female-specific conditions is woefully underfunded. The main reason is the lingering gender-based disparities, like undertreatment and underdiagnosis.
Over the years, this has profoundly impacted technological advancements and scientific innovations in women’s health. But thankfully, recent changes in medical developments have empowered women to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. Various tools and devices have emerged, improving diagnostics and enhancing treatment options.
In this blog, we will discuss five such tools and devices that have helped transform women’s healthcare.
#1. Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices (IUDs)
A whopping 61% of American women used a form of birth control in 2022 to prevent pregnancy. That’s because contraception helps women take charge of planned parenthood. There are various forms, including injections, pills, female condoms, birth control patches, etc.
However, IUDs have become widely accepted as the most effective method. IUDs are T-shaped devices that get inserted into a woman’s uterus. There are two types: hormonal and copper devices.
These are usually 99% effective and last five to twelve years. The best part is that a woman can breastfeed even with this birth-control tool. Moreover, no medicine can reduce the IUD’s effectiveness.
You may also read The 5 Best Yoga Poses for Period Cramps.
The Side Effects of IUDs
When women use hormonal IUDs, they can experience side effects like irregular periods, spotting, headaches, changes in mood, etc. That’s because these IUDs contain the progestin hormone, which stops sperm from fertilizing the egg and suppresses ovulation. For example, the Mirena brand makes hormonal IUDs that can last up to 8 years once inserted.
However, copper IUDs don’t use hormones. Hence, there aren’t any side effects. Once the sperm comes into contact with the copper, the device stops the cells from moving towards the egg. Even though these are effective for almost 12 years, the device can cause health issues when attempted to be removed.
Copper IUDs manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals under the brand name Paragard have faced multiple lawsuits. This Paragard IUD lawsuit alleges that the device fractured and migrated inside the woman’s body upon removal. As a result, it caused victims to experience internal injuries like bleeding, infections, organ perforation, etc.
According to TorHoerman Law, victims wanted to secure compensation for damages like medical bills, permanent disability, and loss of lifestyle. These individuals are eligible to receive an estimated settlement amount between USD 10,000 and USD 400,000.
#2. Smart Pelvic Floor Trainers
Approximately one in every three women might experience pelvic floor disorders in their lifetime. These can occur due to weakened pelvic muscles caused by childbirth or menopause. As a result, women can experience pelvic organ prolapse and bladder control issues.
To fix this, the medical industry introduced vaginal mesh, physical therapy, medications, vaginal pessaries, etc. While some of them worked, others led to serious complications. For instance, the vaginal mesh device eroded, leading women to develop vaginal scarring, bleeding, and organ damage.
That’s why the recent development of smart pelvic floor trainers is a highly welcomed innovation. These devices are discreet and help women perform personalized exercises to boost their pelvic floor health. It can keep track of progress and provide real-time biofeedback to doctors.
The pelvic floor trainers smartly incorporated interactive features and gamification. It also uses advanced sensor technology. As a result, it created an engaging tool that helped women perform Kegel exercises and maintain a proper routine.
#3. Wearable Fertility Trackers
On average, 22% of married couples over the age of 30 find it hard to conceive their first child. Sometimes, there are underlying medical and external conditions for that. But the most common reason is their inability to track fertility periods for an improved chance of conception.
That’s where a fertility tracking device can come in handy. These wearable smart devices are user-friendly and non-invasive ways to track female fertility every month. It also empowers women with control over and knowledge of their reproductive health.
These non-invasive devices can precisely and conveniently track any female’s physiological parameters. For instance, it collects heart rate variability, skin temperature, and menstrual cycle data. Once collected, the devices then analyze the data points to predict an accurate fertility window and optimize a couple’s chance of conception.
#4. Technology to Help With Menstrual Pain
Approximately 80% of women experience period cramps up until menopause. For many years, they had only three solutions to relieve this excruciating pain: heat compression, exercise, and pain relievers. Thankfully, recent developments in period pain management have successfully created a wearable device.
This wearable device uses transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) technology. It’s a drug-free alternative that produces electrical signals to block and interfere with the pain receptors in the brain.
The TENS machine for menstrual cramps has a small box that generates the electrical pulses. Moreover, the wires in the device connect to heating pads that stick to the woman’s belly. But to ensure the device’s effectiveness, the woman must place it exactly where it hurts.
#5. 3D Mammography
In America, breast cancer is the most common among women. Approximately 30% of females develop this disease sometime in their lives. Statistics estimate that there will be 310,720 cases of invasive breast cancer in 2024.
The medical industry has long used the standard 2D mammography technology to diagnose breast irregularities and lumps in women through X-rays. However, false positives have always been an issue with this device. That’s why the introduction of 3D mammography was a revolutionary innovation.
Also called digital breast tomosynthesis, 3D mammography can capture images of the breast from multiple angles. Hence, these high-quality images can provide a comprehensive view and help doctors offer an accurate diagnosis. Overall, it can improve breast cancer detection, reduce false positives, and help save a woman’s life.
In conclusion, inequality in Women’s Health is slowly withering away because of new technical developments. The Biden administration has also announced that it is time for research on women’s health to receive the funding and attention it deserves. Hence, the medical industry is forced to create innovative solutions and improve existing technology.
Women can now benefit from devices like pelvic floor trainers, fertility trackers, IUDs, and more. All these will help facilitate empowerment in women’s health in the future.
