Bringing new life: How is technology improving women’s health?
The FemTech Revolution was born from the ashes of 2020, officially being launched in 2021. We are creating a marketplace and a place to discuss and raise the bar for women’s health. And we don’t just mean women’s health – like the dreaded curse as menstruation used to be known. What we mean is the health and wellness of the individual, the whole body.
We (women) are not the same as men. In fact, our bodies are different. Because of this, they behave differently. We are complicated and medicine has a lot to answer for. You can read more about the sex-bias in medicine in our previous blog or article here. We founded The FemTech Revolution, in part, out of concerns for the bias in sex-specific health. But also for a desire to find novel ways to improve women’s health and everyday lives. But overall, we want to discuss ways to make our life easier!
Health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
The World Health Organisation
We want to reach out to the world and let Women AND men know that we are here, and we are listening. Above all we are educating, and we are sharing what we know so you can take better care of yourselves.
What is FemTech?
FemTech (or female technology) is technology (tech) tailored towards the needs of women. It is where health and tech meet to transform women’s healthcare. FemTech is about making tech work for us. The word FemTech was coined in 2006 by one of the early founders of a FemTech start-up (Ida Tin who founded Clue, a period tracking app). The term includes technologies and innovations for women’s health. The area of FemTech is also about getting the conversation going for us to bring women’s health into line with that of all health. And it is also about turning ‘taboos into triumphs’ as the Fermata FemTech marketplace says. FemTech includes software, apps, devices and products for women’s health and wellness. These products fall into different topics like reproductive health, motherhood, and general health and wellbeing (see some examples in the figure below and in our shop).
Information is power
Many FemTech innovators also provide educational resources. This allows women to understand what is happening with their body, and why. This can combat the lack of information, or sometimes the misinformation, that is available. The ability to take control of our own health depends on having access to the right information. Information is power. In our blogs, you will find information about general health and wellbeing, reproductive health, pregnancy and motherhood. We will also explore the different phases of a women’s life. Because often there can be big changes to our body and our needs over our lifetime. A lot of women’s health info has revolved around the reproductive organs and phase of a women’s life. Medicine has assumed many other health issues are the same in men and women. This is not always the case.
Why technology?
Technology has changed our lives. It is still changing our lives. We are living in the Information Age. Analysts have estimated that human knowledge doubles every 12 hours. I’m not sure what the ‘human knowledge’ is made up of. But, think about it – a doubling of knowledge every 12 hours – that is astounding. Tech enables this advance in knowledge and has increased our productivity. It has enhanced education. It has improved our ability to communicate, and has had a huge impact in the area of health.
Technologies for health
New tech in the health sector are exploding (and mind blowing for that matter)! For example, mobile health devices. These are gadgets that link to your smartphone and monitor your body function. For instance, you can now purchase a portable ultrasound device or an ECG (to monitor your heart) monitor to track your heart health at home. The future of healthcare is about creating more personalised healthcare. So rather than treating a disease, treatment should focus on an individual – taking into account that their body is unique. We are bringing information about health and tech together to enable you to transform and take control of your health.
How FemTech is trying to change the world
Women make up half of the world’s population, and should have access to the same care as men. One big area of opportunity for FemTech is increasing the visibility and information around women’s health. And having products and technologies targeted specifically for women. For too long, natural female processes like periods or menopause have been taboo. In short, the FemTech sector is changing this.
Digitising care and improving access
Another area of opportunity for FemTech, and Medical Technologies in general, is in digitising care and improving access for everyone. This applies especially to those in rural areas and developing countries. There are lots of benefits that would come from this. Including finding health issues earlier on – with the hope of reducing treatment costs and improving outcomes. It would also allow increased patient-centered care – meaning more tools to look after ourselves at home or wherever we are.
The FemTech industry is growing fast due to a rise of people taking their health into their own hands. The data and insights provided by new tech can help people understand their bodies on a day-to-day basis. It could also provide doctors with data that can produce better and more targeted solutions.
FemTech has the power to disrupt the women’s health market. For example, in areas ranging from screening, to mental health, to fertility, to virtual care and more. The influx of new tech into the area of women’s health is increasing quickly. As a result, there is potential to change the way individuals approach healthcare.
Women are more likely than men to use digital apps and related tech when it comes to their health. Investors and healthcare companies should take note of this . We need to understand this industry and invest in it so that it becomes accessible, cheaper, and scalable in all areas of the world.
By women for women
FemTech products are made for a purpose. Many FemTech companies are founded by women with an actual need (of their own or someone close to them). These products aim to solve problems and change the lives of women everywhere. Tracked health data is becoming widespread. This data creates opportunities to form new data-driven treatments that can be used to improve the lives of millions of women.
The FemTech Revolution is New Zealand’s first and only FemTech marketplace. Our mission is to bring new FemTech innovations to the women of NZ.
We want to educate women about the new technologies improving women’s health and wellness. And we want to talk more about women’s health and make a difference by empowering women to make tech work for them.
To find out more about The FemTech Revolution and our journey towards making women’s lives easier, more enjoyable and full of health follow us on Facebook and/or Instagram or even better, sign up to our newsletter!