AI Advances in Women's Health: From Early Cancer Detection to Personalized Menopause Management

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming women’s health, providing innovative solutions from fertility management to menopause symptom relief and even early detection of serious conditions like ovarian cancer and endometriosis. This shift marks a significant improvement in addressing long-standing issues where women have often faced prolonged delays in diagnosis and treatment due to historical neglect in medical research and healthcare. Rachelle Ferrera, senior vice president of Modivcare health care services, moderated a panel at the World Health Expo in Miami, highlighting that this is a new era for AI in women's health. The technology is enabling earlier and more accurate diagnoses, more personalized treatments, and greater attention to female-specific medical conditions. Gabriela Sabate, a tech entrepreneur and CEO of Cloodie, an Electronic Health Record innovator, emphasized that AI has the potential to revolutionize how these conditions are managed, particularly for conditions like endometriosis, which are underdiagnosed. One notable example is the development of a sanitary pad that can detect biomarkers for diseases in menstrual blood. Researchers at ETH Zurich are studying this pad, which can identify elevated protein levels indicative of endometriosis or ovarian cancer. This early detection method could significantly reduce the time it takes to diagnose these conditions, offering women a better chance at timely treatment. In imaging, AI is enhancing the accuracy of mammograms, identifying subtle patterns that human eyes might miss. AI algorithms can also review Pap smear images and ultrasound scans, improving the speed and precision of diagnosing cervical and ovarian cancers. These technological advancements are crucial for early detection and prevention, which can lead to better health outcomes and reduced mortality rates. For fertility and pregnancy, AI is being used to predict ovulation and fertility windows more precisely, as well as create personalized treatment plans based on past IVF outcomes. A recent study demonstrated that AI can detect high-risk pregnancies weeks before traditional methods, enabling earlier interventions for complications like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and preterm labor. AI-powered apps on smartphones and wearables are also helping women track their cycles, mood changes, and other health metrics, providing valuable data that can be shared with healthcare providers or analyzed by AI to identify potential warning signs. During menopause, AI-driven platforms offer personalized advice on symptom management, including insomnia and hormone therapy options. These platforms use user profiles and the latest research to tailor recommendations, enhancing the quality of life for women navigating this challenging phase. Industry insiders like Jan Beery, chief commercial officer of World View Solutions, highlight that the most impactful technologies are those that provide practical solutions for diagnostics and preventative care. Dr. Irman Forghani, director of the Rad Center for Precision Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, underscores the importance of greater female participation in the development and deployment of these AI solutions. She notes that while new devices like the Oura ring and the Ava Bracelet are crucial for data collection, the inclusivity of the data is equally vital. If AI models are primarily trained on data from white women, they may fail to recognize symptoms or patterns in women of other racial backgrounds, leading to potential disparities in healthcare outcomes. Demi Radeva, an angel investor and founder of Akros Advisory, emphasizes the need for clean, aggregate, and population-level data to build AI solutions that work for all women. "If you don’t have data for different populations, you’re building a solution that may not work for all women out there," she said. Addressing data biases is crucial to ensuring that AI tools are effective and equitable. Venture funding for women's health innovations, often called "femtech," is on the rise, although it remains a small fraction of overall health technology investments. Sabate pointed out that despite increased awareness of the problems in women's health, women-led ventures still struggle to access capital. "Everyone is aware of the problem, but the number of women-led ventures that get access to capital is still so low," she said. Public opinion on AI in healthcare varies. A survey conducted by researchers at the University of South Florida and Florida Atlantic University found that while many Floridians see potential benefits, only 54% are comfortable with AI assisting in diagnosis, 48% are comfortable with treatment recommendations, and 36% are comfortable with medication suggestions. Radeva stressed that the human element remains essential, particularly in reviewing and auditing AI-generated data to prevent misdiagnoses and ensure accuracy. Overall, AI in women's health is poised to bring significant improvements, but the industry must address data inclusivity and funding disparities to fully realize its potential. These advancements, driven by female innovators and supported by growing investment, represent a promising step toward more comprehensive and equitable healthcare for women.