FemTech can be defined as technological remedies that handle female health issues exclusively. This is inclusive of mobile apps, diagnostic tools, software, and wearables. It's also known as female technology since it primarily focuses on women's healthcare. FemTech holds a huge potential in breaking the barriers that lead to health disparities and also addressing illnesses that have been overlooked for a long in women.
Different diseases have different effects on women. Yet, there's no long-term information to derive obvious conclusions regarding how ailments or treatments differ as a result of gender. These information gaps have an impact on healthcare quality and the outcomes too. Luckily, the FemTech sector has gained attention and received capital funding, narrowing the gap.
FemTech has helped the Women's health clinic Melbourne advance in providing healthcare services to women. Some of the services it provides include cervical examination and screening, fertility and menopause testing, contraception and pregnancy care, diagnosing anxiety and depression. Before the rise of FemTech, a good number of women suffered due to these health issues.
FemTech has tremendously improved the gynecology sector. Women's productive health is no longer approached using traditional ways. Technology has brought forth medication and devices to diagnose and offer medication.
The tremendous expansion of FemTech can be attributed to a unified ambition to end humiliation revolving around women's health. After experiencing under-services from the traditional healthcare approach, many women have founded several businesses championing the FemTech movement. This has greatly helped women, both young and aging.
With that said, Gynecologists Melbourne not only diagnoses but also treat the disorders experienced in the reproductive system like pelvic pain, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, and infertility.
Continue reading this article to understand the innovations that have risen from FemTech and also understand its undeniable impact on women's health.
FemTech’s Power In Solving Taboos Shrouding Women's Health
From a tender age, females are conditioned to look pretty, small, have no shortcomings, and if any, they shouldn't acknowledge them. As a result, some of them grow while ashamed of their bodies. This explains why many areas touching women's health, ranging from menstruation, fertility, and menopause, are surrounded by taboo. Females are taught to be ashamed of something that isn't perfect.
Shame and taboo are very powerful. They prevent women from sharing experiences, discovering that they aren't the only ones with shortcomings, and seeking help. Often, when people share about their miscarriages and fertility struggles, it's discovered that others have suffered the same issues silently.
The isolation and stigma they face from those who know the health problems they've experienced end up affecting their physical and mental well-being. They withdraw from support networks and never consider sharing with healthcare providers. This is a vicious cycle that FemTech has broken and made women happy with their bodies and experiences.
Societal pressures make women hide their pregnancy until it's three months old. To many, this seems to be a tactic to protect their well-being. On the contrary, it keeps them off from support systems.
FemTech has helped women stop hiding their conception by connecting them with medics from the comfort of their premises. They can also assess the services without revealing their true identity. This makes women share the problems they previously shied from. FemTech has developed brands that start a conversation, therefore, encouraging women to seek medical help. Many products have been created to help women. In designing them, affected women are involved to ensure the end product fully solves their problems.
Initially, FemTech's major concern was the menstrual cycle and fertility. However, today it integrates everything from sexual empowerment, personalized fitness, and hormonal awareness.
Apps Developed As A Result Of FemTech To Empower Women
FemTech has seen the emergence of mobile apps to equip women with powerful information concerning their health. One of the leading ones is the mobile menstrual app, which has played a pivotal role in helping women understand their uniqueness. Apart from this app, others are as discussed below:
Mobile Menstrual App
Thanks to FemTech, this app has brought many benefits and solved the challenges that women experience in their menstrual cycle. Some of the reasons why this app is essential are as discussed below:
- Helps Women in Understanding Their Unique Menstrual Patterns
In tracking the cycle, females log when the period begins to familiarize themselves with their cycle duration. Individuals differ and experiencing unpredictable periods is currently common. Understanding this has helped women appreciate their differences instead of feeling ashamed.
- Women Know Their Ovulation Dates
This development has solved popular misconceptions about pregnancy occurrence. For a long time, women have been misled that pregnancy can only take place on ovulation day. Through this app, it has helped women understand the days they can conceive.
- Creates Awareness Of One's General Wellness And Health
FemTech has helped women understand that their menstrual cycle can be used to assess their health. Heavy periods, skipping your period, or having a very unpredictable one can be an indicator of an underlying health issue. In the past, it was strange for a woman to talk about these issues but now they become solvable problems.
- Helps Women Understand Their Sexual Drive
Today, one can determine and understand their variation in sexual desire through this app. This helps women know when it's necessary to seek medication to boost their sexual drive.
- Understanding And Managing Mood
Hormonal variations during one's menstrual cycle can lead to mood swings like anxiety and irritability. This is something that many women weren't aware of in the past. Today, these apps help them understand and accommodate mood swings during their menstruation. They can also keep track of when they feel sad, happy, exhausted, productive, and act accordingly.
Fertility Apps
These apps use the information to track their menstrual cycle, predict ovulation, and also fertility windows. The apps require women to feed their true data about their menstruation cycle. Afterward, the apps utilize the information and other scientifically backed tools to predict fertile days.
Fertility has been an issue that has caused constant worry in women. In trying to conceive, identifying fertile days is technical to many women. FemTech has solved this through developing this app, and many women have tremendously benefitted from it. They don't have to go to the hospital, as they can assess the services right from the comfort of their residence.
Pregnancy Tracking Apps
Today, women around the globe can monitor their pregnancies and prepare themselves for parenthood. The apps have proved useful in tracking the baby's growth and development and helping women understand their body changes in pregnancy. The apps also remind women of their appointment with doctors when they take vitamins and also give them other health tips.
Most women suffer from cuts between the vagina and anus after giving birth. This has been seen by many women who suffer incontinence due to issues arising from the pelvic floor. FemTech is working towards availing a device that will pre-stretch pelvic muscles and vaginal tissues before delivery to avert the damage experienced from vaginal and anal tears.
Digitizing Healthcare And Expanding The Access
FemTech has played a significant role in providing digital healthcare and improve Medicare for everybody. Women, especially those in rural areas and third-world countries, have greatly benefited from this development. Improved outcomes and fewer treatment expenses are now what every woman is enjoying. Patient-centered healthcare, that's, healthcare tools to use at home, are now available. Many women handle their health issues individually as a result. The data collected from the FemTech industry is being used in the healthcare industry to provide effective medical solutions.
Menopause And Midlife
Breast health is an area of concern. Currently, technological developments have been made to solve this. One of these is a saliva-based test for the screening of cancer, which is undergoing clinical testing. Another innovation is a radiation-free, handheld device for screening cancer at its early stages.
FemTech is also inventing ways to solve challenges that come with menopause. Chronic Fatigue which is very prevalent for women in their midlife is also being addressed. There's an innovation, an audiovisual device that's wearable for balancing the right and left sides of one's brain to enhance deep sleep and relaxation.
FemTech's Support to Old Women
Challenges affecting older women are mostly underrated and overlooked. This is inclusive of urinary incontinence. FemTech has enhanced the development of electrical stimulation devices for retraining the pelvic muscles. These are at-home devices that reduce urinary leaks and urgency.
Heart disease, which is also a risk for aging women, is overlooked. Older women who are at risk of heart illnesses are also considered to be at the forefront in causing their death. For better and personalized heart care, FemTech is working towards inventing a bra that's embedded with electrocardiogram technology.
Takeaway
Although there are still more untapped opportunities for FemTech, it has greatly transformed women's lives through supporting fertility, menstrual health, and menopause, amongst others. Many products to better women's health are now on the market. Some of these are breast pumping devices that can fit in a bra and washable undies. Today, women can comfortably balance family and work. When women are empowered, children's health is protected too.
Andy Simmons
Andy Simmons is a health advocate. He has been sharing his professional expertise through online blogging. He is married with two children. During his free time, he enjoys watching movies and playing basketball.
