ProgenCare: A noninvasive salivary progesterone monitoring platform based on MXene-modified microfluidic...

Progesterone (P4) levels serve as an essential indicator for assessing pregnancy status. The traditional serum testing methods are limited in clinical applications due to their invasiveness. In contrast, saliva testing holds immense potential because it is noninvasive and easy to operate. This study aimed to propose a highly integrated noninvasive saliva P4 detection platform "ProgenCare", featuring "lab-grade performance, household size." The platform was designed based on a microfluidic electrochemical immunosensor modified with functionalized MXene materials, aiming to provide a convenient and accurate method for detecting P4 levels in pregnant women. Given the excellent conductivity and electronic transport properties of MXene materials, the sensor exhibited good sensitivity, linearity, and selectivity in P4 standard solutions, with a detection range from 30 pM to 30 nM and a limit of detection as low as 14.5 pM. Moreover, an innovative microfluidic chip with integrated finger-actuated pumps, rotatable microvalves, and Tesla valves was designed for the selective release of reagents, which significantly improved the portability and operability of the detection process. Furthermore, the accompanying high-performance μ-electrochemical analyzer and smartphone application facilitate personalized health management solutions, enabling real-time display, data storage, and analysis. The experimental validation in artificial and real saliva samples demonstrated the reliability of the platform in the noninvasive detection of salivary P4 levels and its potential value in assessing the physiological status of pregnant women. "ProgenCare" represented a more comfortable and convenient detection experience for pregnant women, offering promising avenues for the development of personalized medicine and health management.