June 9 marked World Reproductive Health Day, an initiative aimed at raising awareness of women’s reproductive health and safeguarding women’s rights to safe and satisfying sexual lives, informed reproductive choices, and safe pregnancy and childbirth.
On this occasion, the world’s first approved non-surgical, non-invasive treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 (CIN2) has been introduced in 42 hospitals across 26 cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and Shenzhen. Participating institutions include the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Peking University People’s Hospital, Peking University First Hospital, Renji Hospital affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital. This milestone enables women diagnosed with CIN2—particularly younger patients who wish to preserve their fertility—to access an innovative treatment option without undergoing surgery.
From Approval to Nationwide Availability: Expanding Patient Access to Innovation
In March 2026, the world’s first non-invasive portable cervical photodynamic therapy technology was approved by China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for the treatment of patients with histologically confirmed CIN2, addressing a significant unmet need in this field.
On June 5, the first imported commercial shipment successfully cleared customs and was rapidly distributed nationwide. Coinciding with World Reproductive Health Day, the treatment has now become available across 26 cities in China.
“When I first learned that cervical lesions might require surgery, I was worried about whether it would affect my ability to have children in the future,” said a 28-year-old patient who recently received treatment.” My doctor told me there was a non-invasive treatment option that does not involve removing cervical tissue and can be completed in an outpatient setting. I decided to try it immediately.”
Another patient shared a similar experience: “My CIN2 was detected during a routine health check-up. I am not yet married and was concerned that surgery could affect my future fertility. My doctor recommended this new treatment. The procedure was comfortable, and I was able to remove the device myself at home afterward, which made the experience very convenient.”
Professor Sui Long of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University commented: “For CIN2 patients who wish to preserve fertility, non-invasive treatment is emerging as a preferred option between passive observation and invasive surgery. It not only addresses the lesion itself but also responds to young women’s concerns about preserving their reproductive potential.”
Addressing an Unmet Clinical Need: Non-Invasive, Fertility-Preserving, and Convenient
Cervical precancerous lesions most commonly affect women of reproductive age between 25 and 40 years old. Historically, treatment has relied largely on surgical procedures such as loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) and cold-knife conization. While effective in removing lesions, these procedures inevitably remove cervical tissue and may increase the risk of future miscarriage and preterm birth. On the other hand, active surveillance may expose patients to the risk of disease progression and significant psychological burden.
Today, the management paradigm for CIN2 is undergoing a significant transformation. According to the Chinese Expert Consensus on CIN2 Management (2026 Edition) jointly released by the Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology Society of the China Eugenics Association and the Gynecologic Oncology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, immediate invasive treatment should be avoided whenever possible in women of reproductive age with CIN2. Both Chinese and international clinical guidelines have evolved from prioritizing excisional treatment toward treatment strategies that place greater emphasis on fertility preservation.
For women of reproductive age with CIN2, an ideal treatment approach should effectively manage cervical precancerous lesions while preserving fertility and reproductive potential whenever possible, and minimizing the need for invasive surgical intervention.
As a drug-device combination portable photodynamic therapy system, the technology is administered by gynecologists in an outpatient setting. Device placement can be completed in less than 10 minutes, allowing patients to leave immediately after treatment without hospitalization or anesthesia, while maintaining normal daily activities.
In recent years, China has elevated the development of a fertility-friendly society to a national priority. Multiple government agencies, including the National Health Commission, have jointly issued guidance on the development of fertility-friendly hospitals, emphasizing the need to strictly assess indications for gynecologic surgery and reduce unnecessary procedures whenever possible.
“Building fertility-friendly hospitals is more than a slogan—it should be reflected in every clinical decision,” said Professor Di Wen, President of the Obstetricians and Gynecologists Association of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association and Professor at Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. “Our goal is to ensure that women of reproductive age receive effective treatment while preserving their opportunity to have children in the future whenever possible.”
Hospitals Across China Embrace Fertility-Friendly Care Through Dedicated Cervical Health Clinics
To support China’s population development strategy and the broader goal of building a fertility-friendly society, the China Women’s Development Foundation has launched the Fertility-Friendly Cervical Health Initiative. The program focuses on cervical health as a key issue affecting women of reproductive age, promoting awareness of fertility-friendly cervical cancer prevention and management, supporting professional training for healthcare providers, and strengthening standardized clinical care to help protect both cervical health and reproductive potential.
As portable cervical photodynamic therapy technology becomes available across multiple regions in China, many hospitals are simultaneously establishing Cervical Health Demonstration Clinics and gradually incorporating non-invasive treatment into routine care pathways for cervical precancer.Some institutions have also introduced fertility preservation consultation services within gynecology departments in support of China’s fertility-friendly healthcare initiatives, providing comprehensive care spanning screening, diagnosis, non-invasive treatment, and long-term follow-up.
Professor Wei Lihui of Peking University People’s Hospital stated: “The availability of non-invasive treatment represents an important step toward risk-stratified management. It enables us to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach and make more individualized treatment decisions—allowing lower-risk patients to prioritize non-invasive treatment while preserving cervical integrity and fertility, while ensuring that higher-risk patients receive timely surgical intervention when necessary.”
Professor Jin Ping of Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital added: “The emergence of non-invasive therapy provides an important option for CIN2 patients who strongly wish to preserve fertility. This innovative model—brief outpatient device placement followed by treatment completion at home—has also significantly improved the patient experience and treatment adherence.”
The supply network for portable cervical photodynamic therapy technology is expected to continue expanding, with plans to reach hundreds of hospitals in more than 50 cities across China by the end of the year. At the same time, multicenter real-world studies are underway to generate additional clinical evidence in Chinese patients and support future optimization of treatment standards and clinical practice guidelines.
Building a fertility-friendly society begins with every clinical decision. This World Reproductive Health Day, the rapid rollout of portable cervical photodynamic therapy technology across 26 cities in China marks an important step toward making fertility-preserving care a practical reality, bringing new hope to women with CIN2 who aspire to become mothers in the future.