💌 Issue 93: $500k for Pelva Health | Evvy adds fertility insights | CVS Health first in U.S to go 'menopause-friendly' | Can an app prevent postpartum depression?

+ lots more in your weekly round of women's health innovation and FemTech news

Mar 19, 2025

Hi! Welcome to issue #93 of FutureFemHealth (w/c March 17 2025).

Before we get started, thanks so much for all of your support following last week’s CensHERship campaign launch. If you missed it, we’ve supported six women’s health startups to file EU complaints over digital censorship on major platforms like Meta and Amazon. You can follow our progress over on our LinkedIn page here.

🌟 Coming up today we’ve got:

❤️ Pelva Health secures $500k to make intimacy pain-free
📈 Evvy adds fertility insights to at-home vaginal microbiome test
✅ CVS Health becomes first company in the U.S. to earn menopause-friendly accreditation
🔥 Can an app help prevent postpartum depression? This new study suggests it might

But before that: Would you like to sponsor an upcoming FutureFemHealth newsletter? We’re read by nearly 8,000 professionals, founders and investors in women’s health and I’ve got a few slots available in April. For more info and a copy of our media pack drop me a line: anna@futurefemhealth.com

🎧 FemTech Focus - new podcast series out now

The 2025 season of the FemTech Focus podcast has launched - kicking off with an intro to FemTech interview with Mitzi Krockover, MD, Founder & CEO of Woman Centered, Host of Beyond the Paper Gown Podcast, Cofounder of FemTech AZ, and Arizona's Managing Director at Golden Seeds!

In this episode Brittany and Mitzi discuss:

👩‍🔬 How increased female participation in STEM and finance drives forward women's health innovations

💸 How angel investing is a game-changer in the industry

☀️ Why and how Arizona is a rising Femtech hub

Catch up on the episode on your favourite streaming platform or on YouTube.

And if you’re new to the podcast head back one episode for a special intro overview from Brittany too!

💰 Funding, deals and investment news

📌 US: Making intimacy pain-free: Pelva Health secures $500k pre-seed funding. Co-founder and CEO Kelley Satoski experienced years of persistent vulvovaginal pain with little progress in treatment. These firsthand struggles with chronic pain and its impact on intimacy inspired her and her partner Doug to launch Pelva Health. This investment was led by Groove Capital and will enable further product development through to launch. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)

📌 US: Aspira Women’s Health secures $1.37 million in a private deal with investors. An interesting approach by the gynaecological diagnostics company Aspira - instead of selling shares upfront, it has raised money through special loans - called ‘Senior Secured Convertible Promissory Notes’, which can be later converted into stock at $0.25 per unit. This approach allows Aspira to secure funding now without immediately setting a company valuation or diluting shareholder ownership. Both existing and new investors joined the deal, which CEO Mike Buhle called a strong vote of confidence in Aspira’s growth plans. The company’s stock price also jumped on the news. (Continue reading: Benzinga)

📌 INDIA: Menstrual health start-up FemiSafe secures ₹3 crores (approx $345k) in seeding funding. With a period care range that includes menstrual cups, FemiSafe will now progress product development and expand its market presence. The round was led by a lead investor from Jain University. (Continue reading: Everything Startups)

📌 US: Not all cancer patients need chemo - Ataraxis AI raises $20m to personalize treatment. Breast cancer will be the first commercial test for Ataraxis AI, which uses AI to accurately predict whether a patient has cancer and whether it might come back in 5-10 years time. Chemo can be avoided altogether if there’s only a small chance of it coming back - saving time and the treatment’s side effects. This Series A round was led by AIX Ventures. (Continue reading: Tech Crunch)

🌟 Industry news from this week

📌 US: Evvy adds fertility insights to its at-home vaginal microbiome test. Today, infertility affects millions worldwide, and about a third of cases are classified as “unexplained.” While some studies have linked microbial imbalances to infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, and preterm birth, access to in-depth vaginal microbiome testing has been limited. Evvy’s updated test includes a range of fertility-related measures including a ‘protective score’ that assess beneficial bacteria, a ‘microbiome diversity score’ which is linked to poorer IVF and pregnancy outcomes, and details on ‘fertility disruptors’ linked to infertility. An optional STI testing panel is also available. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)

📌 US: CVS Health becomes first company in the U.S. to earn menopause-friendly accreditation. An estimated 75 million women in the US are in perimenopause, menopause or post-menopause. This accreditation from MiDOViA is awarded to organisations that commit to employee education, peer support, training for managers and menopause benefits in the workplace. (Continue reading: CVS Health)

📌 US: Women's health clinic Tia adds Nabla's AI assistant for clinician note-taking. After a two-month pilot reducing clinical note submission time by 50%, Tia is rolling out Nabla’s AI notetaker across all its locations to free up providers for patient care. Importantly. Nabla has designed its speech-to-text model with diverse genders, accents, and languages to reduce bias in clinical documentation. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)

📌 EUROPE/ U.S: Femasys secures CE mark certification for female permanent birth control. This European regulatory approval is Femasys’ first globally for its birth control delivery system ‘FemBloc’. This is a significant step towards FemBloc’s non-surgical approach being available for women who want permanent birth control without having to have the current option of surgical sterilization. Femasys now prepares for potential European market launch and further clinical trials towards US FDA approval. (Continue reading: Femasys)

📌 US: Philips and Ingeborg Initiatives partner to improve maternal and infant health in Arkansas. Arkansas has ranked last in the U.S for both maternal and infant mortality rates. Now, all expectant parents in the state will gain access to the Philips Avent Pregnancy+ app thanks to this partnership between the global firm and non-profit Ingeborg. The initiative aims to enhance prenatal care, increase health literacy and promote healthy habit. (Continue reading: Hit Consultant)

📌 US: Stamford Health and Oula partner to bring collaborative, midwife-led maternity and gynecology care to Connecticut. Oula’s research shows that approximately 80% of women are interested in care that integrates OB-GYN and midwifery. This collaborative partnership does just that and will also see the opening of two new maternity clinics over the next year. Connecticut will be Oula’s second market as it expands regionally. (Continue reading: Stamford Health)

🩸 Research and women’s health news

📌 IRAN: Can an app help prevent postpartum depression? This new study suggests it might. Hormonal changes, sleep deprivation, and the pressures of new motherhood can create the perfect storm for depressive symptoms - and early intervention is crucial. Published in BMC Psychology, this randomized control trial of 108 pregnant women tested whether an app-based program promoting health behaviours could lower their chances of developing depression after childbirth. The results, although based on a small sample, show a meaningful difference compared to a control group. (Continue reading: BMC Psychology)

📌 US: Promising new research shows potential to cure recurrent urinary tract infections. For an estimated 25%-30% of women who experience a urinary tract infection, the infection returns within six months. These recurrent UTIs cause pain, disrupt daily life, and can lead to more serious health complications if left untreated. Now researchers have developed a new method of delivering antibiotics directly into the bladder tissue, helping the drug get inside the cells where bacteria hide, successfully eliminating over 90% of the infection. (Continue reading: University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus)

📄 Govt & policy news

📌 UK: ‘Why the new endometriosis pill approved by the NHS is no magic cure.’ Last week the NHS approved the first daily pill to treat the symptoms of endometriosis - it’s a welcome alternative to injectables and suitable for home use. While lauded by most mainstream media as a major breakthrough, there’s also been a notable pushback from the endometriosis community and doctors. They highlight that the treatment does not stop the disease, only manage symptoms - and for some the side effects of the pill can be horrific. (Continue reading: Women’s Health magazine)

⏳ FINAL CALL: Second release tickets for SiS New York expire March 28! 🚨

SiS New York 2025 isn’t just an event - it’s your fast-track to success in women’s health. On May 15-16, founders, investors, and industry pioneers will come together to build partnerships, secure funding, and spark innovation.

🔥 What you get with your ticket: ✅ Full access to keynotes, panels & workshops with the biggest names in women’s health; ✅ SiS Solve Pitch Competition ($100K+ in prizes!); ✅ First 100 attendees get VIP access to an exclusive pre-event mixer ($99 value); ✅ Post-event recordings of keynotes & panels ($499 value); ✅ SiS Women’s Health Market Report (2024/25) ($199 value); ✅ Goodie Bag with exclusive perks & discounts ($99 value); ✅ VIP Rooftop Networking with investors & decision-makers

🎟 Second release pricing expires March 28 - PLUS, don’t miss the 3-for-2 offer! Secure your spot now: https://www.sis.global/sis-usa

📆 Save the date

Health Equity Innovators Summit: Argonaut Hotel, San Francisco, April 10-11.
This inaugural event will be an action-driven experience designed for those already contributing to improving health equity. Through thought-provoking discussions, collaborative problem-solving, and immersive wellness experiences, shape the future of healthcare together. Find out more and register today at healthequityinnovators.com to secure your spot.
Health Optimization Summit: Austin, April 12-13, 2025.
Experts, visionaries and enthusiasts will explore the latest advancements, trends and strategies in optimising human health and performance. Speakers include nutrition expert JJ Virgin who will speak about menopause, Femtech founder of FLOLiving.com Alisa Vitti who will talk about biohacking the cycle and female biology, and Dr Stephanie Estima who will speak on the female healthspan. Tickets and info here.

That’s all for this week! See you next time. If you’ve missed any previous newsletter issues catch them all at futurefemhealth.com and do make sure to follow us on LinkedIn.