Sensors could help uncover the hidden secrets of the vagina

From preterm birth risk to fertility: the development of sensors for the vagina could have a global impact on women’s healthcare, writes Clinical Academic obstetrician and gynaecologist at UNSW, Dr Daniella Susic. So why don’t we have more of them?

From the beginning of all our lives, we are in some way connected to the vaginal canal, either via conception, or the process of being born.

Yet, it remains a mysterious anatomical niche that is void of the high-level technological study of its composition, its biomarkers or its residing microbiota and their metabolites.

I recently co-wrote a review which identified vaginal sensors that are currently being used to measure pressure and tone of the pelvic floor musculature and pH of vaginal fluid.

Dr Daniella Susic is a Clinical Academic obstetrician and gynaecologist at UNSW.

But the technology pretty much stopped there. Why?

With the increasing knowledge of the role that the vagina plays in numerous health and pregnancy outcomes, not to mention the livelihood of many women, it has become paramount to turn the awkward tables of conversation and shine a technological light on the subject.

The invention of modern sensor technology has the potential to blow the lid off the hidden secrets of the vagina.

Real time data acquisition at all stages of the menstrual cycle, fertility treatments and during pregnancy will enable the identification of biomarkers that might be relevant in the develop of disease states.

Once identified, measurement and functionality of the targeted biomarkers of gynaecological disease, as well as fertility, assisted reproductive technology and pregnancy complications, may be more broadly applied.

In a fast-paced society that lives off data points, we may indeed be able to have real time insights into the health status of the vagina.

These applications can vary from those who are chronic suffers of Bacterial Vaginosis, thrush or sexually transmitted infections, all the way through to pregnancy and its complications.

As opposed to considering that vaginal sensors would be created to solve an individual’s issue, the national and global impact carry huge potential in this space to be proactive and sensitive.

Vaginal sensors could be used in the tracking of fertility cycles, and potentially detect the risk of preterm birth. Credit: AdobeStock

Take pregnancy for example; not only do you have to stay pregnant, but you also must conceive in the first place.

Vaginal sensors have the potential to be used in the tracking of fertility cycles for optimal timing of natural or assisted conception.

Whilst getting pregnant is one thing, staying pregnant is a completely different journey.

This paper on vaginal sensors touched on the point of care testing kits that are used for the prediction of preterm labour as one example.

Can sensors tell us earlier in a woman’s pregnancy her individualised risk of preterm birth or preterm prelabour rupture of membranes?

These two occurrences lead to over 60 percent of the total cause prematurity prior to 32 completed weeks of gestation (that’s out of 40 weeks, or the usual due date).

Preterm birth remains a huge population issue and financial burden to the healthcare budget.

We have been unable to shift the rates of preterm birth meaningfully in years.

The next largest cause of preterm birth is iatrogenic (doctors pull the plug on gestation) often as a life saving measure for mum, and more times than not that is related to a diagnosis of preeclampsia (a blood pressure condition of pregnancy).

Senses have been called our human superpowers.

With the benefit of technology, sensors give humanity the power to shift these statistics once and for all: for all women, and their babies.