New Device Could Revolutionise Miscarriage Prevention, Say Experts

A groundbreaking new device designed to improve how the hormone progesterone is delivered to women experiencing threatened miscarriage is entering clinical trials—and experts believe it could be a game-changer.

Known as Callavid, the tampon-shaped device aims to offer a more effective and less distressing alternative to current progesterone delivery methods, which often rely on vaginal pessaries. These pessaries are prone to leakage and discomfort, and according to health economists, they cost the NHS as much as £236 million a year.

Progesterone is a vital hormone in early pregnancy, helping prepare the womb for the growing embryo. It is typically recommended for women who have had at least one previous miscarriage and are experiencing bleeding in early pregnancy—signs of a potential threatened miscarriage.

More than 150,000 women in the UK could be eligible to receive progesterone prescriptions each year, according to University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust, which is leading the trial.

The new device, developed by UK-based start-up Calla Lily Clinical Care, has secured £1 million in funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), allowing it to move forward with in-person trials.

Lara Zibners, co-founder of Calla Lily Clinical Care, said the funding brings the product “one step closer” to helping women through one of the most emotionally painful and uncertain times in their lives.

“This device has the potential to not only improve how progesterone is absorbed by the body but also to significantly ease the emotional burden that women face during early pregnancy complications,” Zibners said.

Professor Siobhan Quenby, an expert in obstetrics and reproductive health at UHCW, echoed that sentiment, emphasising the need for more compassionate solutions in early pregnancy care.

“Reducing additional psychological anxiety during this time is critical,” she said.

“Through this innovation—being pioneered right here in the UK—we have the potential to truly transform women’s experience of threatened miscarriage.”

If successful, Callavid could represent a major step forward in women’s reproductive healthcare, offering a more reliable and dignified option to those navigating the trauma of early pregnancy loss.