The SELF-GYN1 trial, conducted from July 2022 to July 2023, found that 96.2% of at-home pelvic ultrasound scans met diagnostic quality. These scans were taken by patients with verbal assistance from a trained remote sonographer who had real-time access to the images.

The study included 265 patients, 263 of whom completed their at-home pelvic ultrasonography. Gynecologic pathology was identified in 26.2% of the patients, including uterine fibroids in 50.7% of cases and complex cysts in 34.8% of cases.

Alessandra Ainsworth, an MD at Mayo Clinic, stated, "Not only was this technology feasible and safe, but it was also preferred by participants." Ainsworth also noted the role of sonographer coaching in image quality. "Image quality in this study relied heavily, if not exclusively, on sonographer coaching," she said.

Participants were recruited online and through physician referrals across 10 states and Washington D.C. Eligible participants were premenopausal women between the ages of 22 and 50 who spoke English, had a body mass index under 40, and could manipulate a 1-pound weight by hand. Pregnant, potentially pregnant, and newly postpartum women were excluded, as were individuals with a history of gynecologic malignant neoplasm, hysterectomy, or oophorectomy.

Elevated body mass index was the most common variable associated with nondiagnostic images, and women shorter than 4'6" reported difficulty manipulating the probe. Two-thirds of patients completed post-exam questionnaires three days after the procedure, with 11% reporting minor pain or discomfort. At the three-week survey, 1.8% of respondents reported minor pain or discomfort. None of the reported instances were classified as adverse events.

Nikki Zite, an MD and MPH at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, commented on the study. "While they did show it was possible to obtain usable images, the training required for their technicians along with the complexity and risk of mailing these expensive devices would limit utilization to very specific patient populations, most likely those undergoing assisted reproductive techniques," Zite said. Zite was not involved in the SELF-GYN1 study. The ultrasound scanners used in the study were provided by Turtle Health, which also funded the study.