Engineering nanosystems for regulating reproductive health in women.

Abstract

Reproductive health-related diseases have a significant impact on the well-being of millions of women worldwide, severely compromising their quality of life. Women encounter unique challenges in terms of reproductive health, including gynecological diseases and malignant neoplasms prior to pregnancy, as well as complications during pregnancy that greatly undermine their physical and mental health. Despite recent advancements in the field of female reproduction, substantial challenges still persist. To address these challenges, nanotechnology-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies have emerged to provide intelligent detection and treatment for pathologies related to women's reproductive health. Although some progress has been made with nanotherapeutics in this domain, its application is still nascent due to the delicate and intricate nature of the female reproductive system. This review comprehensively presents the latest advancements in nanomedicine for regulating woman's reproductive health. Firstly, based on the time period of onset, nanomedicine applications are categorized into four subcategories: 1) preconception diseases such as polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, and gynecologic malignancy treatment; 2) pregastrulation period diseases including placenta accreta spectrum disorders and ectopic pregnancy; 3) mid-term pregnancy diseases like preeclampsia; and 4) late pregnancy diseases such as deep vein thrombosis during pregnancy. The systematic introduction covers the progress made by nanomedicine in various disease areas. Finally, this article discusses the challenges faced by these nanomedicines from research to clinical translation while also highlighting future directions.