A new innovation in women’s health has us rejoicing – or at the very least, sighing in relief.
Spanish engineer Ariadna Izcara and Dutch researcher Tamara Hoveling, both of Delft University in the Netherlands, are developing a new vaginal speculum, “Lilium,” that will replace the uncomfortable, oft-pinching device that many of us know from past gynecological visits.
The discomfort the current design causes is less surprising considering it was made by a man, one who habitually tested inventions on enslaved women. But beyond its troubling history, the current tool is far from ideal for more practical reasons.
It’s not just awkward – the tool causes pain, which generates anxiety and even fear among over a third of patients. “I have a lot of experience with the vaginal speculum, unfortunately,” Hoveling told AFP. Many patients opt to avoid the experience altogether, which ultimately increases women’s risk of developing cervical cancer.
That’s why Izcara and Hoveling are working on something gentler. Instead of metal or hard plastic, Lilium is made from medical-grade TPV rubber, which is softer to the touch while still having the strength to be effective. It is also shaped to be reminiscent of a flower, which “promotes patients’ psychological comfort, as it is a familiar shape,” Izcara said in a press release from Delft University.
Izcara clarified to The Story Exchange that Lilium is still in the development phase and not yet on the market – presently, the team is seeking investor assistance to continue their work.
It’s work that is reminiscent of what Amanda Calabrese and Greta Meyer, two Stanford University students and athletes, are engrossed in. Currently, they are innovating an update to another man-made product for women’s use: Tampons. The duo created a new spiral-shaped tampon that better blocks the natural flow of menses, preventing leakage. It’s so effective, the pair is now partnering with WNBA team Indiana Fever on development and dissemination.
“We’re normalizing conversations around tampons and period care, ultimately aiming for them to be seen as essential game-day gear, just like soccer cleats,” Calabrese told Entrepreneur magazine.
Indeed, the end goal, in both instances, is to help women feel more comfortable discussing these practical needs, and more empowered to take care of themselves. Said Izcara, “I hope this design motivates women to get their health checkup.”
