Hello and welcome to FutureFemHealth Pro - our deeper analysis on the women’s health market.
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Earlier today, we published news that UK-based Peripear has announced £1.2 million in equity and grant funding for its wearable designed to reduce perineal tearing during vaginal birth.
Just days earlier, US-based Materna Medical completed its oversubscribed final close of its Series B3, following a $5 million first close this summer. It is preparing to commercialise Ellora, a device designed to reduce pelvic floor muscle injury during vaginal delivery.
Now, two rounds don’t make an investment trend. But, they do put fresh capital in less than a year behind the same idea: rather than only treating the pelvic floor problems that can follow childbirth, can we prevent more of the injury as it happens?
The market need is shocking - and substantial. Up to 90% of first-time mothers experience a tear during a vaginal birth and it is slightly less common for anyone who has had a vaginal birth before.
While most tears are minor, more serious injuries can contribute to incontinence, pain, sexual dysfunction and prolapse long after the delivery room.
And the evidence is getting stronger. The newly published CHAPTER study, covering more than 2.2 million women, found childbirth-related perineal trauma was associated with higher risks of anxiety, depression, urinary incontinence, pain, sexual dysfunction and prolapse. For some outcomes, the increased risk persisted beyond five years after birth.
So can this much unmet need translate into an investable market?
In this week’s FutureFemHealth Pro analysis:
Why evidence for prevention hasn’t yet translated into routine care
The companies trying to turn that gap into a market
What the economics and reimbursement challenge looks like
Whether this could become a broader opportunity in maternity care