Advances in biomonitoring technologies for women's health.

Abstract

In global healthcare systems, sex and gender biases have favored cisgender males, which has led women and transgender individuals to be understudied and underrepresented in medical literature. Thus, these populations are largely overlooked in health policy making. Persistent gender inequalities, socioeconomic divides, and racial-ethnic discrimination, particularly in low-resource communities, have exacerbated women's health concerns, delaying advancements in care and accessibility. However, recent years have seen the emergence of tracking technologies and wearable devices that enable long-term biomonitoring of key health biomarkers which promise to facilitate early disease diagnosis for women from all walks of life. These innovations value education and accessibility, which can break down barriers to health care access and management that has affected generations of women around the world. This review discusses emerging biomonitoring technologies for diagnosing and managing critical women's health conditions as defined by the World Health Organization, including breast and gynecological cancers, vaginal infections, fertility, pregnancy and post-menopausal osteoporosis. Additionally, we examine the current commercial landscape of women's health technologies, highlighting barriers to adoption, such as medical insurance access and socioeconomic status, as well as discuss opportunities for future innovation.