The impact of our research on women's health
See the impact of 60 years of groundbreaking women's health research
-
Periods, menstrual health & gynaecological conditions
-
Helping women to manage PCOS through diet and lifestyle
1 in 10 women are diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - a hormone condition that can cause irregular periods, infertility, and other health problems - each year in the UK.
We shed light on the vital role diet and nutrition play in regulating testosterone in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
The study found that insulin helps regulate testosterone levels, but some women with PCOS are less able to use the insulin their body makes.
These findings have helped shape clinical guidelines to focus on lifestyle changes and insulin-sensitising medications like metformin to reduce levels of testosterone, to help women with PCOS manage their condition and prevent long-term health conditions. The work has also highlighted the need to undertake more research into the underlying causes and health impacts of PCOS, not just its impact on fertility.
By advancing our understanding of how nutrition, weight and insulin sensitivity can impact women with PCOS, we have been able to improve healthcare for millions of women with this long term condition.
-
Finding a new way to treat endometriosis with “keyhole” surgery
We demonstrated how a type of keyhole surgery, called laser laparoscopy, can help to treat endometriosis, a condition which affects 1 in 10 women in the UK.
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows elsewhere in the body - forming endometrial lesions.
We funded a clinical trial which showed that using a laser to burn away painful lesions could relieve pain and reduce the risk of them returning. The trial found significant improvements in pain for women who had the surgery, particularly for those with more advanced endometriosis.
This groundbreaking research showed laser laparoscopy is a safe and effective way to treat pelvic pain caused by endometriosis, supporting the use of laser surgery as a treatment for the millions of women living with this condition.
-
Showing how existing drugs could be used to treat heavy periods
Our research provided the evidence for using Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and mefenemic acid, to treat heavy, painful periods.
We investigated the role of prostaglandins in women with heavy and painful periods. These special compounds in the body play a role in inflammation, blood vessels and blood flow. We found that excessive production of prostaglandins was an important driver of heavy periods.
NSAIDs work to reduce prostaglandin levels, so our research proved that these drugs could be an effective treatment option.
Millions of women now use NSAIDs every month to manage their periods, and mefenamic acid is regularly prescribed as a non-hormonal treatment option for women with heavy and painful periods.
-
-
Sexual health
-
Revealing the link between chlamydia and infertility
We helped prove that chlamydia infection can contribute to infertility and a higher risk of ectopic pregnancy - when a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb, usually in one of the fallopian tubes.
Our researchers showed that past infections of chlamydia can affect fertility by upsetting the balance of an important set of hormones called prokineticins, and by causing scarring of the fallopian tubes.
This scarring can lead to tubal factor infertility – when eggs and sperm cannot meet because of a blockage in the fallopian tubes.
Chlamydia is common, but often occurs without symptoms. This research showed the importance of regular testing and early treatment for the disease.
It has helped with public health education campaigns to empower more women to get tested sooner.
-
Removing barriers to healthcare for sex workers
We funded research to better understand the difficulties female sex workers in Bristol face when trying to access healthcare services.
The project found that drug addiction pushed many sex workers into risky behaviours, such as unprotected sex and injecting drugs. While this was often known to local healthcare providers and charities, the limited time and funding available to these organisations prevented them from doing more to support these vulnerable women.
These findings have informed policies to improve access to care in the face of these many challenges.
-
-
Fertility, contraception & abortion care
-
Improving fertility treatment by studying hormonal changes during ovulation
Our research showed how a hormone produced during ovulation was related to implantation - when an embryo sticks to the wall of the uterus.
The scientists found that the hormone, prolactin, plays an important role in fertility by preparing the uterus for implantation of the embryo.This work, undertaken two decades ago, paved the way for further research into exactly how this process happens, and has started to have an impact in fertility medicine. We now have tests that measure prolactin to test the readiness of a woman’s womb for implantation during IVF.
-
Improving access to contraception after birth
Our research demonstrated that more women can benefit from having a hormonal or copper coil fitted immediately after birth.
Supporting women to make informed choices about contraception after they have had a baby can reduce unwanted pregnancies, and improve women’s health by spacing out pregnancies.
Our researchers created a new approach to offering the hormonal or copper coil to women shortly after delivery of their baby. When offered using the new approach 14% of women who had a c-section had a coil inserted after birth compared to the average of 9% in the wider population.
The project led to an update in clinical guidelines now in use across the NHS, giving more women more choices about reproductive health after birth.
-
Developing new approaches to IVF
Our researchers developed a more efficient method of collecting immature eggs from ovaries, and maturing them in the lab for use in IVF.
During IVF, women must inject hormones to stimulate the release of mature eggs from the ovary. Collecting immature eggs to mature in the lab had been tried, but with limited success. Using a new method, 71% of the immature eggs they collected were able to mature in the lab, compared to 44% using existing methods.
This approach lowers the cost of IVF, while also reducing the risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome, which can arise from prolonged hormone injection. It is now used alongside traditional methods as an alternative pathway for women undergoing fertility treatment, but could be developed as a way to protect fertility in women living with cancer, if they can store ovarian tissue before treatment.
-
-
Pregnancy, birth & beyond
-
Revolutionised the use of ultrasound in pregnancy
We helped establish the role of ultrasound in pregnancy for monitoring the health of the baby in the womb.
Almost 40 years ago, researchers at the Harris Birthright Centre for Fetal Medicine pioneered the use of ultrasound to detect neural tube defects, like spina bidifda, early.
We also funded groundbreaking work in the use of Doppler ultrasound to monitor high-risk pregnancies. This special type of ultrasound shows where and how blood is flowing in different parts of the foetus, the placenta, and the umbilical cord. The researchers went on to identify key signs to look out for on the doppler ultrasound to spot abnormalities.
This work was instrumental in establishing clinical guidelines for the routine use of ultrasound in prenatal care and using Doppler ultrasound in high-risk pregnancies, helping save and change the lives of countless mothers and babies worldwide.
-
Helping premature babies to breathe
We developed a new way to improve survival for babies born too soon by helping them breathe.
Our research revealed that a lack of surfactant – a special liquid that coats the lungs and allows them to expand – caused serious breathing problems in premature babies, often resulting in death.
This important finding led to the development of one of the first synthetic surfactants, with even better versions now available and used routinely in the care of babies born early across the globe. This treatment has helped save the lives of thousands of premature babies who struggle to breathe when born.
-
Finding safer, earlier ways to identify genetic conditions before birth
We supported research to improve screening methods for trisomies 21, 18 and 13, helping to find them much earlier. These trisomies – where a fetus has an extra chromosome – can be fatal, or cause long term health problems for children when born.
This research showed the link between trisomies, heart problems, and nuchal translucency thickness - a measurement of fluid at the back of a fetus's neck.
Our work also developed non-invasive testing (NIPT) of fetal DNA, showing that these non-invasive tests could be used in 98% of cases to prevent more invasive techniques, like amniocentesis.
Early, safe, identification of trisomies can give parents more information to make decisions about their pregnancy much sooner, and to help prepare for a child born with complex health needs.
-
Studying the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women
Our work showed the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy and informed guidance on best practice care.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw how pregnant women were at increased risk of complications when they contracted the virus. We funded research that used the UK Obstetric Surveillance System to track 4000 pregnant women admitted to hospital with COVID-19.
We found that most women who recovered from a severe infection went on to have healthy babies, but a small number went on to have stillbirths. This shows just how important ongoing, close monitoring is for any pregnant woman experiencing severe COVID-19 symptoms.
This work also highlighted the importance of vaccinations for pregnant women and provided vital evidence to inform guidance on how to manage care for pregnant women with COVID-19.
-
-
Pelvic floor health
-
Showing the benefits of pelvic floor exercises for treating incontinence
Incontinence (difficulty controlling the bladder or bowel) and pelvic organ prolapse (when one or more of the pelvic organs slips out of position and sags down) are very common, affecting millions of women of all ages.
We showed how important pelvic floor exercises are for preventing and treating incontinence and prolapse.
Our early work in this area demonstrated how pelvic floor exercises could be used to strengthen the bladder, and help prevent and treat bladder and bowel leaks. Further work showed that pelvic floor muscle training could help with symptoms and prevent worsening of pelvic organ prolapse, reducing the need for more invasive treatments down the line.
Our work on pelvic floor health has since fed into NICE clinical guidelines used by doctors and nurses across the UK, helping to improve quality of life for 60% of women in the UK who have at least one symptom of poor pelvic floor health.
-
Proving Botox injections can treat an overactive bladder
Our clinical trial led to the use of Botox injections to treat a condition called overactive bladder syndrome, which leads to hard to control urges to pee and affects at least 7% of women in the UK.
The injections were shown to be a highly effective new treatment for overactive bladder. After six months of treatment 1/3 of the women receiving the injections had complete bladder control, almost three times as many compared to women who did not have the injection. The women receiving Botox also reported a higher quality of life.
These results led to Botox injections being offered as a treatment for women who aren’t responding to other treatments, helping to improve quality of life.
-
-
Menopause
-
Developing better ways to support women with menopause symptoms at work
We have provided evidence-backed methods to support women experiencing menopause symptoms at work.
We funded the Menopause@Work project, which looked at improving the experience of women going through the menopause in the workplace. Women who received self-help guidance on using cognitive behavioural therapy to manage hot flushes and night sweats reported finding their symptoms less problematic.
This shows that supporting women to manage their own symptoms is a low-cost, easy-to-implement action that can help reduce the impact of menopause symptoms on life at work.
It is one way to address the lack of research into menopause and its symptoms, and the lack of support for women dealing with those symptoms in their day to day lives.
-
-
Gynaecological cancers
-
Helping to prevent cervical cancer
Our work has paved the way to significant advancements in the prevention of cervical cancer.
We funded one of the first pieces of research to confirm the link between HPV infection and cervical cancer, a link that ultimately led to a national screening program and HPV vaccine which has seen a 63% decrease in cervical cancers.
We went on to fund further studies looking at the biological processes that drive this link, leading to better diagnostics and earlier detection.
Our research also found that DNA changes in cervical cells caused by chemicals from smoking, alongside HPV, contribute to the development of cervical cancer. This is powerful information for identifying at-risk women, and for creating interventions to reduce risk in women who smoke and who have been exposed to HPV.
-
Creating a new treatment for pre-cancer in the cervix
Our research supported the development of laser therapy to remove abnormal cells in the cervix that are in the very early stages of becoming cancerous.
This was a completely new treatment at the time, and our researchers showed it is effective at removing pre-cancer cells, and can be done in outpatient settings rather than requiring an operation and a stay in hospital, making it a more comfortable experience for women.
-
Creating the groundbreaking Ovarian Cancer Research Centre
We established a dedicated Ovarian Cancer Research Centre which has led to better understanding the causes of ovarian cancer and developed new ways to prevent, detect and treat it.
This pioneering centre in Cambridge became a hub for scientists studying the biological and genetic basis of the disease.
Work at the centre helped us understand the basic biology of how ovarian cancer starts and the genetics involved in ovarian cancer development. We also learned the impact of inherited mutations in key genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2, which are known to significantly increase the risk of ovarian cancer.
Researchers from the centre have gone on to receive grants from other big funders to extend their research and turn Cambridge into a major international site for ovarian cancer research.
-
-
Healthy ageing
-
Pioneering oestrogen as a therapy for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women
In 1985, we provided a grant that allowed researchers to develop a mass screening technique to find women at high risk of developing postmenopausal osteoporosis.
This pioneering work introduced the idea that changes in skin collagen mirror those in bone after menopause. It also helped us understand that oestrogen loss causes a breakdown of collagen-rich tissues throughout the body, like skin, bones, and tendons. By highlighting the impact of hormone loss in postmenopausal bodies, we learned just how beneficial hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be.
A new study by the same team showed us that oestrogen therapy could reverse bone loss after menopause. Today, oestrogen is a common treatment used to prevent osteoporosis, helping women in menopause maintain good bone health for longer.
-
Showing how HRT can treat incontinence after menopause
We helped prove that HRT can support normal bladder function post-menopause
More than half of women experience difficulties with bladder control after menopause. We funded research into the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat these women.
This research, undertaken in the late 1980s, contributed to our current understanding of how HRT increases the strength of tissues involved in supporting the bladder, and helped inform the development of tests that could pinpoint the difference between normal and abnormal bladder function.
-
Learn more about the women's health research we've funded
Visit our research funding dashboard to learn about all of the research we have funded over the last 60 years.