FemTech: Bridging the Gender Health Gap with Innovative Design
FemTech is the abbreviation for female technology. FemTech refers to products, and services that utilise technology to support women's health. Femtech includes areas such as menstrual health, reproductive health, sexual health, maternal health and menopause.
FemTech is a rapidly growing industry, the market once valued at $250 million in 2015, has been projected to reach $3 billion by 2030. This is due to increased awareness, evolving societal perspectives, and technological progress.
Traditional design approaches have often neglected women's needs. Previously products and services have been predominantly designed with a male-centric perspective, overlooking the experiences and requirements of women.
A failure to incorporate women's perspectives into design processes can create gender disparities and make it difficult to create inclusive and equitable solutions for all.
Brands such as Vio Health created OvuSense, which offers clinically proven tracking ovulation through innovative fertility monitoring technology.
Miras clinically proven fertility and ovulation tracker measures hormone levels at home without the need for a blood test. Data automatically syncs to the Mira App which uses AI to follow and predict changing hormone patterns and can even predict menopause.
We look forward to seeing more, not only femtech companies but also more general medical design companies delving further into this field.
New technologies and scientific advancements are creating opportunities to cater to the unique needs and experiences of women, improve accessibility, and reduce stigma around the topic.
AI can offer significant benefits in women's healthcare. For instance, AI can be used as a decision support tool in breast and cervical screening programs - making the process more efficient, as well as aiding in identifying disorders like gestational diabetes or congenital birth defects during pregnancy.
Women are investing in wearable devices to monitor and manage their health. Devices such as the Evie Ring provide real-time data and insights into reproductive health, fitness, and wellness metrics. This technology addresses the demand for personalised healthcare and is becoming increasingly accessible.
Feminine health apps are becoming an integrated part of women's daily routines, with approximately 50 million women using apps to track their menstruation. These apps provide personalised insights, and recommendations, which can support women to make informed decisions about their health. The data gathered by these apps has the potential to revolutionize women's healthcare, overcoming cultural, behavioural, and structural barriers that often hinder progress in this field.