What You Need to Know about Femtech

What You Need to Know about Femtech : Women make up nearly half of the eight billion people of Mother Earth. Yet research shows that when limited funding is being distributed for combat diseases primarily affecting one sex or the other, men get two-thirds of those funds. Substance abuse, which primarily affects men, is an example of this one-sided allocation.

Femtech arose to balance out this gender inequality. We cover what it is, its importance to women, and showcase some companies involved in the exciting field.

What is Femtech

Entrepreneur Ida Tin first mentioned the term back in 2016. In general, femtech covers primarily technologies to support women’s healthcare issues and concerns. Many of the innovations in this small but rapidly field usually fall into one of the following groups:

Breastfeeding which includes a parenthood support app or software notifying you the best time to feed your child.
Chronic Conditions & Hormonal Disorders which covers how to deal with endometriosis, fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), etc.
Fertility & Birth Control like fertility tracking apps. Over a third of femtech products can be found under this category.
General Healthcare ranges from breast and cervical cancer screening to diagnostic services.
Menopause would have, as an example, special underwear to help women stay comfortable during menopausal conditions like hot flashes.
Menstruation & Period Care Products covers pads or sanitary napkins made from natural products. Period tracking apps are another example of products found in this category.
Pelvic Health to help deal with pelvic organ prolapse to urinary incontinence.
Pregnancy & Post Pregnancy to track physical and mental well-being during these
Sexual Wellness which range from virtual online resources viewed on a medical panel PC to social apps that provide safe, welcoming environments to discuss issues like female anatomy, HIV, to surviving assault.

Why is Femtech Important

Women have many unique healthcare needs and challenges. Irregular periods can result in chronic and severe pain. Or they can be the symptom of more serious issues.

Women who wish to have children have to consider the healthcare risks associated with pregnancy for themselves and their future children. This makes prenatal and postnatal care important.

Finally, women are more prone to certain diseases and health conditions than men. Anxiety like panic disorder, depression, irritable bowel syndrome, and breast cancer are just a few examples. Many can be treated or even prevented if discovered early enough. Various femtech products aim to do just that.

Examples of Femtech

Clue is a period tracking app. Algorithms help to predict its user’s period, fertile window, and premenstrual syndrome. It also informs users the most or least likely time for becoming pregnant. Symptoms such as cramps, headaches, cravings, and breakouts can be predicted depending on how much information user input.

BIOMLQ provides a milk product cultured and grown from human mammary epithelial cells. Women dealing with infant feeding problems may find it useful.

Elvie offers several femtech products including a wearable breast pump and a pelvic floor exercise tool.

Knix touts itself as an alternative to pads, tampons, and menstrual cups. The underwear, made from washable cotton fabric, can absorb the equivalent of 10 regular tampons.

Naturals Cycles is an FDA-approved fertility tracking app similar to Clue.

Conclusion

While women have made great strides in modern society, there are still areas like healthcare that address poorly our unique issues and concerns. Femtech aims to provide solutions through technology from apps to exclusive products.