{"id":16357,"date":"2024-05-13T02:26:40","date_gmt":"2024-05-13T02:26:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.swe.org\/?p=16357"},"modified":"2024-05-13T02:59:06","modified_gmt":"2024-05-13T02:59:06","slug":"femtech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.swe.org\/femtech\/","title":{"rendered":"Technology Targets Women\u2019s Health"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1643229446072{padding-top: 18px !important;padding-bottom: 15px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”16096″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” style=”vc_box_shadow” css_animation=”fadeInLeft”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1715561794436{margin-right: 60px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;}”]\n

Women engineers, researchers, and entrepreneurs are working to find solutions to what ails women\u2019s health using high technology in a growing field called \u201cfemtech.\u201d<\/h2>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1715561845902{padding-top: 9px !important;}”]By Seabright McCabe, SWE Contributor[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”24px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The number one killer of women, worldwide, is heart disease \u2014 a \u201csilent epidemic\u201d at a time when it is still often seen as primarily afflicting more men. Heart failure, in which the heart muscle loses its ability to pump blood efficiently, currently affects 2.6 million women in the United States alone and is the number one driver of hospitalizations for women aged 65 and over.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, treatment plans include guidelines on how to manage the average patient. The plans are infrequently stratified into groups, let alone tailored to individuals,\u201d said world-renowned cardiologist Heather Ross, M.D., division head of cardiology for the University Health Network (UHN) Peter Munk Cardiac Centre in Toronto. \u201cThis can be problematic for heart disease patients, particularly women, since the guidelines are based on clinical trials where women are underrepresented.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily Seto, Ph.D., P.E., associate professor at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto, agreed. \u201cIt\u2019s not just in heart failure; women are underrepresented in research, period,\u201d said Dr. Seto, who co-leads the institute\u2019s health systems AI and health informatics research programs. \u201cWhen more men do studies, they pull from a population that\u2019s already highly biased toward men.Women receive fewer health care resources, and when more men prescribe care, women\u2019s symptoms tend not to be believed, and they\u2019re more subject to referral bias. These issues are systemic.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1715562497789{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”16329″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

A personalized approach<\/h3>\n

In the early 2000s, Dr. Seto began developing a Blackberry phone-based platform for remote monitoring and management of heart failure, conducting a controlled trial with a small group of patients. Winning the support of co-inventors Dr. Ross and Joseph Cafazzo, Ph.D., leader of UHN\u2019s Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, the platform began to take shape, evolving as smartphone technology began to appear.<\/p>\n

Flash through 15 years of iterative design, and it is now Medly, a comprehensive, smartphone-based, self-management app and platform that offers around-the-clock care to chronic heart failure patients anytime, anywhere. Patients upload daily stats such as weight, blood pressure, and heart rate, and answer questions about shortness of breath, edema, and more. Medly\u2019s advanced algorithm analyzes the data instantly, providing immediate feedback to patients and alerts to clinicians. \u201cWe can see trends and changes in a patient\u2019s status and intervene prior to them worsening and requiring hospitalization,\u201d Dr. Ross said. \u201cIf we see adverse trends, we can provide on-demand care through the Medly program.\u201d<\/p>\n

Medly\u2019s smartphone interface is patient friendly: no more written logs, faxing, emailing, or calling in information. There\u2019s a manual data entry option, and it can also link to Bluetooth-enabled weight scales and blood pressure cuffs with the readings going directly to the app. \u201cWe have been able to show that the way we prescribe Medly, which is not dependent on whether or not a patient has a smartphone, scale, or blood pressure cuff, allows us to help bridge the digital divide and make access to this technology equitable,\u201d Dr. Ross said.<\/p>\n

Medly is now in use at four hospitals in Ontario. \u201cWe\u2019re studying it for other heart failure applications, such as medication titration,\u201d Dr. Seto said. \u201cCurrently, it takes frequent doctor visits to keep medications at an optimal level. Many patients can\u2019t come in every two weeks as they should, due to distance, expense, and schedule conflicts. Some never reach optimization, or it takes far too long.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1715562497789{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”16330″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just in heart failure; women are underrepresented in research, period. When more men do studies, they pull from a population that\u2019s already highly biased toward men.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u2013 Emily Seto, Ph.D., P.E.<\/h6>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A randomized trial found that Medly shortened the timeline to optimized medication by months, resulting in fewer hospitalizations and improved life expectancy. Currently, Dr. Seto is studying ways to embed and scale Medly for use in primary care, home care, and nursing homes.<\/p>\n

Expanding Medly\u2019s functionality may also enable more holistic care. \u201cRight now, I\u2019m doing a multi-state trial with people who have been hospitalized with multiple chronic conditions,\u201d Dr. Seto said. \u201cMedly could potentially address people with COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], diabetes, hypertension, and mental health issues like depression, helping us intervene before those conditions escalate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Currently, Medly is only available in English, but Dr. Seto is reimagining ways to adapt the interface for more languages, as well as to address cultural differences and patients who do not read. \u201cHealth care equity is the goal, and only since AI came into play have we gained this capability,\u201d she said. \u201cWe want to add speech-to-text and text-to-speech, on-the-fly calculation, and more graphics, to reach people who don\u2019t have adequate access to health care.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deeply interested in global women\u2019s health issues, especially in lower- and middle-income countries, Dr. Seto works with graduate students on technology to address them. One is a platform similar to Medly that targets preeclampsia patients in Pakistan, which has one of the highest mortality rates for pregnant women in the world. Other projects are a videoconferencing group therapy program for women with perinatal depression, and a platform and website centered on occupational health and safety for sex workers. \u201cI feel fortunate to have landed in a very unique job,\u201d Dr. Seto said. \u201cThere\u2019s so much to be done in health informatics for women.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1715562497789{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”16327″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

A breakthrough for endometriosis<\/h3>\n

\u201cMy periods were nothing short of excruciating. I would have to go to the hospital due to the pain. And no matter how many times I complained to doctors, I was told it was just period pain and something I had to live with.\u201d<\/p>\n

The story told by this woman, whose name is being withheld at her request, is all too familiar. An estimated 176 million women suffer from endometriosis worldwide, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. This painful condition, in which tissue similar to the inner lining of the uterus grows outside of it, can affect the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, and the tissue lining the pelvis. Its constellation of symptoms includes racking cramps, heavy periods, low back pain, and gastrointestinal problems. Worse, the average time it takes to diagnose endometriosis is 7\u201310 years \u2014 leading to up to 120 debilitating periods and untreated disease progression. And the standard of care, laparoscopy under general anesthesia, is a procedure that has not fundamentally changed in 100 years.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row thb_full_width=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1715562069056{margin-top: 25px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;border-top-width: 5px !important;border-right-width: 5px !important;border-bottom-width: 5px !important;border-left-width: 5px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;border-left-color: #757575 !important;border-left-style: solid !important;border-right-color: #757575 !important;border-right-style: solid !important;border-top-color: #757575 !important;border-top-style: solid !important;border-bottom-color: #757575 !important;border-bottom-style: solid !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/4″][vc_single_image image=”16328″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1715567168283{padding-top: 25px !important;}”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”3\/4″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1715566946623{margin-bottom: 20px !important;padding-top: 20px !important;}”]\n

Know the Signs of Heart Failure in Women<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cIn my experience, the patients who have the hardest time understanding why they have heart failure when they\u2019ve \u2018done everything right,\u2019 are very intelligent, STEM-focused women \u2014 and they are among the hardest for me to give that diagnosis to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maria Mountis, D.O., is a cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic specializing in heart failure. She explained some distinct differences between women and men in why they experience heart failure, and when they present with symptoms. \u201cEstrogen is the biggest player. In youth it\u2019s a woman\u2019s friend, protecting us from heart disease,\u201d she said. \u201cOnce we start perimenopause and menopause, we begin losing that estrogen benefit and become more vulnerable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though most women develop heart failure later in life than men, they often report symptoms sooner. \u201cWomen are often more tuned in to their bodies,\u201d Dr. Mountis said. \u201cThey tend to not wait until they\u2019re overloaded with excess fluid; they notice palpitations, shortness of breath, and their fatigue and stress levels.\u201d<\/p>\n

She emphasized the importance of knowing family medical history. \u201cWe can\u2019t get away from our genetics,\u201d she said. \u201cBut it\u2019s not guaranteed that you\u2019ll get heart failure because your mother or aunt did. Epigenetics also play a role, where gene expression can change from one generation to the next based on stress and environmental factors and even the gut biome.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Mountis urges women to focus on prevention. \u201cWomen need to ask, \u2018What is in my power to change this?\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cKnow your blood pressure and heart rate and keep them low. Keep an eye on your weight. Use the smartwatch, the wearables, the apps. Have basic blood work done by a professional to know your cholesterol, thyroid, blood sugar levels. You can be your own best advocate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Offering hope that genetic testing and personalized medicine will become routine in the future, Dr. Mountis added, \u201cCRISPR [gene editing] is already on the horizon for treating amyloid cardiomyopathy, a type of heart failure that predominantly affects Black people. Innovations like this will change and level the playing field, in both health equity and in what\u2019s possible.\u201d<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When a disease affects 1 in 10 women worldwide, why does diagnosis take so long? \u201cThat\u2019s the billion-dollar question,\u201d said Heather Bowerman, CEO and founder of DotLab, a high-tech medical diagnostics company. \u201cIn the U.S., women see an average of five M.D.s before endometriosis is even brought up. This is a public health emergency, one that requires high-quality samples, as far as molecular and clinical data training sets, to reduce the time to diagnosis. That was my basis for founding DotLab.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bowerman studied bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley, where she was an active member of the Society of Women Engineers. She was a McKinsey health care consultant and served in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy under President Obama before moving into the startup space. \u201cI\u2019ve been at the intersection of health care and machine learning for over 10 years now,\u201d she said, \u201cand what stood out to me was that endometriosis is incredibly prevalent. One in seven women globally have unspecified or unattributed pelvic pain, which is the primary symptom of endometriosis.<\/p>\n

\u201cWomen\u2019s health receives about 2% of the biomedical R&D budget, and if you take out oncology, we\u2019re talking about a fraction of 1% for all women\u2019s chronic diseases,\u201d Bowerman continued. \u201cThe dollars don\u2019t exist at the government level to help understand the biology of endometriosis. I saw a real opportunity to apply modern machine learning approaches to develop and validate a diagnostic test.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1715562497789{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”16324″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]\n

\u201cThe dollars don\u2019t exist at the government level to help understand the biology of endometriosis. I saw a real opportunity to apply modern machine learning approaches to develop and validate a diagnostic test.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u2013 Heather Bowerman<\/h6>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Bowerman and her team at DotLab went from early-stage scientific discovery to single- and multisite validation to a pivotal trial at more than 25 top academic sites across the United States. They collected blood and saliva specimens at the time of laparoscopy, visual assessments from surgeons, and histopathology from one- and two-year follow-up visits, resulting in a dataset that would allow validation of their endometriosis test.<\/p>\n

DotLab\u2019s product, DotEndo, is a blood test that is screened and analyzed in its certified lab for mRNA biomarkers indicating the presence of endometriosis. \u201cWe have a novel approach for analyzing mRNAs we\u2019ve identified as sensitive and specific for endometriosis,\u201d Bowerman said. \u201cWe then apply our in-house machine learning algorithm to the results of the blood sample analysis and send a report back to the ordering medical provider.\u201d<\/p>\n

How long does DotEndo take to process? \u201cWe like to say we\u2019re reducing the timeline to diagnosis from 10 years to 10 days,\u201d Bowerman said. \u201cReally it\u2019s just a few business days for the blood sample to be accessioned once it ar-rives in the lab and for the algorithm to be applied.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier diagnosis can impact treatment decisions in many ways. \u201cToday, unspecified pelvic pain might be referred to a gastroenterologist or be mistaken for appendicitis or any number of things,\u201d Bowerman said. \u201cBut if a primary care provider can order our test, the results can lead to an earlier referral to the right physician type.\u201d<\/p>\n

The initial therapy option for endometriosis is the birth control pill \u2014 or, outside the United States, the IUD. Other oral medications are gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists, such as elagolix (Orilissa), which lower estrogen levels that trigger pain. \u201cIt\u2019s about offering interventions to patients earlier, presumably when the disease is earlier staged,\u201d Bowerman said, \u201cwhen treatment can be more effective at reducing pelvic pain and potentially even slowing progression, instead of treating the wrong thing or not pursuing treatment at all.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1715562497789{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”16323″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The final option is surgical removal of endometrial growths. Currently, diagnosis and excision typically occur in the same procedure, years after a woman presents with symptoms. \u201cIf surgery can be offered on a shorter diagnosis timeline, it\u2019s a total game-changer for patients and health systems,\u201d Bowerman said. \u201cThe cost to find the source of acute pelvic pain is enormous in the absence of a noninvasive diagnostic test.\u201d<\/p>\n

DotEndo is currently being offered to top global pharmaceutical partners with an eye toward making the tests available to clinicians soon. \u201cGetting the highest-quality, well-labeled molecular medical and clinical data has been our top priority,\u201d Bowerman said. \u201cBut it\u2019s exciting to think about research opportunities in the comorbidities of endometriosis, like ovarian cancer and various autoimmune conditions. Unlocking that means understanding the biology of endometriosis, being able to stage the disease and measure the disease burden. None of that is possible today, either in a laboratory outside the DotEndo platform or in a commercial capacity. So, there\u2019s a lot of work to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

What\u2019s \u201cNXT\u201d?<\/h3>\n

Amanda French is a mechanical engineer and serial entrepreneur in technology geared toward women\u2019s health, known collectively as femtech, a term coined in 2016 by entrepreneur Ida Tin, who helped launch a menstruation tracking app called Clue. French is the executive in residence at tech incubator NXT Biomedical and CEO of IFPx, one of its portfolio of companies. \u201cFor me, femtech is inclusive of technologies that can help improve the health and well-being of women and people with ovaries,\u201d she said. \u201cInitially, it was thought of only as digital products for women, but if you look at the unique ways women are impacted by the health care system, femtech becomes a broader landscape of technologies that address vast unmet needs.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1715562497789{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”16326″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]\n

\u201cAt IFPx, we\u2019re developing the world\u2019s first and only monitor that directly tracks congestion, the fluid overload that heart failure patients experience and the number one driver of their hospitalizations.\u201d<\/h4>\n

\u2013 Amanda French<\/h6>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]French pointed out that women often have their symptoms questioned when they go to the hospital \u2014 they\u2019re often told their symptoms aren\u2019t real and sent home. \u201cWe\u2019re fighting back against the perception that women\u2019s health isn\u2019t important \u2014 when we\u2019re half the world\u2019s population,\u201d she said. \u201cChallenging symptoms when a woman presents them is not normal; it\u2019s not \u2018just part of being a woman.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

French was drawn to the femtech category while studying mechanical engineering at Duke University, working on a project that sped antiretroviral medications to postpartum mothers with poor access to pharmacies. She\u2019s had a passion for the space ever since. After developing cardiology devices as a research and development engineer at Edwards Lifesciences, French created her first femtech startup, Emme, in 2017. The company launched the first internet-connected medication adherence system for birth control pills.<\/p>\n

The Emme product consists of a \u201csmart\u201d case for pills and an app that reminds users to take them. It connects users to a wealth of information and services, including a mood tracker. It\u2019s been shown to reduce anxiety over birth control pills, and during beta testing, an 80% reduction in missed pills among its customers was reported.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1715562497789{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”16325″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\u201cEmme\u2019s device is still in the market today,\u201d French said. \u201cI\u2019m so proud of it \u2014 we\u2019ve crossed a million pills tracked at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n

French took what she learned from Emme about connected hardware devices and an understanding of how data can improve quality of life to IFPx, where she has come full circle back to cardiology. \u201cAt IFPx, we\u2019re developing the world\u2019s first and only monitor that directly tracks congestion, the fluid overload that heart failure patients experience and the number one driver of their hospitalizations,\u201d she said. \u201cUntil now, there\u2019s been no direct way to track congestion, and so many patients struggle in silence until it becomes an emergency.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now in its preclinical stages, IFPx\u2019s device is a subcutaneous monitor. Placed under the skin in a simple procedure, it measures the congestion and fluid pressure that cause frequent hospitalizations. \u201cIt gives both doctors and patients a better understanding of how to tailor medications and lifestyle adjustments for better-quality, longer life,\u201d French said.<\/p>\n

The device is Bluetooth-enabled and automatically uploads data to clinicians. \u201cWhere patients often go to great effort to upload their data, we do it through automation, so clinicians can quickly see when patients need more attention at home, instead of having them show up in the emergency room,\u201d she said. \u201cProactive outreach is a much better experience for everyone.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1715562497789{margin-top: 20px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”16367″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row thb_full_width=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1715562069056{margin-top: 25px !important;margin-bottom: 30px !important;border-top-width: 5px !important;border-right-width: 5px !important;border-bottom-width: 5px !important;border-left-width: 5px !important;padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 20px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 20px !important;border-left-color: #757575 !important;border-left-style: solid !important;border-right-color: #757575 !important;border-right-style: solid !important;border-top-color: #757575 !important;border-top-style: solid !important;border-bottom-color: #757575 !important;border-bottom-style: solid !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1715566817380{margin-bottom: 20px !important;padding-top: 20px !important;}”]\n

Femtech: Products and Pioneers<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In \u201cThe Role of Engineers in Women\u2019s Health,\u201d published by the National Academy of Engineering, Nicole Danos, Ph.D., wrote that because women are often the primary caregivers of the young and the elderly, \u201cimproved health outcomes for women are associated with improved life outcomes for all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a sampling of femtech innovations and researchers working for those better outcomes:<\/p>\n

Ava<\/strong> (Switzerland): The first FDA-approved wearable for tracking fertility, Ava is a bracelet that tracks physiological signals and fluctuating hormone levels, letting the user know the optimal time to conceive. Visit www.avawomen.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Marianna Alperin, Ph.D.<\/strong>: Dr. Alperin\u2019s laboratory is developing evidence-based bioengineering approaches for pelvic floor reconstruction. Her research collects data on the biology of pelvic floor muscles throughout a woman\u2019s life and designs bioengineered solutions based on these data.<\/p>\n

Women of Wearables (WoW)<\/strong>: WoW is a global organization based in the U.K. connecting women entrepreneurs with health technologies and investors. Its website bursts with inspiring news about women\u2019s health technologies and products addressing a full range of health issues unique to women in every stage of life. Visit www.womenofwearables.com\/wow-women-1<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Make the Breast Pump Not Suck<\/strong>: Affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab, this group is a catalyst for breastfeeding innovations. Watch its documentary and hackathon: https:\/\/makethebreastpumpnotsuck.com\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Bloomer Tech<\/strong>: A new bra is embedded with washable, flexible circuits that send cardiovascular data through an app, helping women and their care providers manage heart disease and improve heart health. Visit www.bloomertech.com\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Menopod<\/strong>: Offering handheld relief for hot flashes, Menopod\u2019s copper plate drops to 41 degrees F (5 degrees Celsius) at the touch of a button, with no condensation, no need for refrigeration, and fast recharging. Visit https:\/\/menopod.com\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ananya Health<\/strong>: This company\u2019s product, CRCL, is a portable, user-friendly cryoablation platform for clinics that\u2019s been shown to prevent cervical lesions from becoming cancerous. Visit www.ananya.health\/<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Sources<\/strong>
\nwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3181845\/<\/a>
\nhttps:\/\/crowelec.com\/engineering-areas-for-femtech-experts\/<\/a>
\nhttps:\/\/uhnfoundation.ca\/stories\/uhns-medly-is-revolutionizing-heart-failure-care\/<\/a>
\nwww.dotlab.com\/press-releases\/clinical-validation-for-dotlab<\/a>
\nwww.nae.edu\/271946\/The-Role-of-Engineers-in-Womens-Health<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”50px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1643229446072{padding-top: 18px !important;padding-bottom: 15px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”16096″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” style=”vc_box_shadow” css_animation=”fadeInLeft”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1715561794436{margin-right: 60px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;}”] Women engineers, researchers, and entrepreneurs are working to find solutions to what ails women\u2019s health using high technology in a growing field called \u201cfemtech.\u201d [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1715561845902{padding-top: 9px !important;}”]By Seabright McCabe, SWE Contributor[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”24px”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The number one killer of women,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[258],"tags":[453,450],"thb-sponsors":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.swe.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16357"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.swe.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.swe.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.swe.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.swe.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16357"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.swe.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16357\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16379,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.swe.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16357\/revisions\/16379"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.swe.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16357"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.swe.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16357"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.swe.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16357"},{"taxonomy":"thb-sponsors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.swe.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/thb-sponsors?post=16357"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}