Metal and Covalent Organic Frameworks Meet OB-GYN: Advancing Applications in Women's Health and Pregnancy Care.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and Covalent-organic frameworks (COFs) are promising materials for biomedical applications due to their high surface area, tunable porosity, and functional versatility. Functionalized or nanoparticle-containing MOFs and COFs have been largely explored in preclinical studies for drug delivery, photodynamic and photothermal therapies, and ROS generation targeting cancer cells, among others. Additionally, they have shown potential as carriers of imaging agents for precise biomarker identification and tumor detection. However, the application of nanomaterials in medicine, including MOFs and COFs, still does not meet the expectations set more than two decades ago. This is particularly important in the maternal-fetal field, where substantial maternal health risks during pregnancy and childbirth affect many women. Only recently a range of preliminary studies exist, as these risks have traditionally been viewed as inherent to pregnancy, leaving significant gaps in innovative solutions for women's health that nanomaterials have the potential to bridge. This review addresses this critical need, offering a summary of current research in obstetrics and gynecology and maternal-fetal applications of MOFs and COFs, identifying gaps, and aiming to guide future research to expand nanomedicine's impact in these areas.