Gynaecological health startup Daye has announced that its diagnostic tampon is now available to buy on boots.com, unlocking at-home, non-invasive screening for vaginal health.

Unlike conventional screening methods, like swabs and speculums, Daye’s diagnostic tampon collects more vaginal fluid than a standard swab and covers the whole vaginal canal. This ensures that it delivers improved reliability alongside enhanced patient comfort, when detecting a range of infections.

The diagnostic tampon can screen for pathogens that may inhibit fertility; vaginal infections like thrush and bacterial vaginosis (BV); and in November 2023 its capabilities were expanded to include the detection of sexually transmitted infections, such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea. It can also detect perimenopause and menopause-related changes in the microbiome and the overall health of the vaginal microbiome.

Valentina Milanova, founder and CEO of Daye, said: “We’re delighted to make convenient, non-invasive gynaecological health screening available to Boots customers and help diagnose and treat more patients, especially in light of the concerning 24 percent year-on-year increase in STIs in the UK post-covid.”

To date, 54 percent of the people who have used the diagnostic tampon are being screened for the very first time, highlighting that the service can reach underserved patient populations and be a more comfortable choice for some who would otherwise not attend doctors’ screening appointments.

The health screening kit is simple to use. Once it has been received from boots.com patients simply insert the tampon, wear it for at least 20 minutes, and up to eight hours, before placing it in the provided sterile pouch. It is then returned to Daye in the same box it was received in.

Customers receive a report back after testing, which includes lifestyle hacks to support the patient’s vaginal health. As well as screening results, customers can also access personalised health advice, prescription treatments and expert telemedical consultations with vetted physicians.