Issue 49: OVUM's first fully recyclable pregnancy test | $4.2m for LunaJoy Health | Why are 40% of period app users inactive?
Issue 49: OVUM's first fully recyclable pregnancy test | $4.2m for LunaJoy Health | Why are 40% of period app users inactive?
+ lots more in your weekly round-up of women's health and FemTech news
Hello and welcome to issue #49 of FutureFemHealth, your weekly news about women’s health innovation and FemTech (w/c 15 April 2024).
🌟 Coming up today we’ve got:
🩸 Why are 40% of period app users inactive each month?
✅ OVUM launches UK’s first fully recyclable pregnancy test into Sainsbury’s
🍼 The start-up innovating with breast milk microbiome
❤️ LunaJoy Health secures $4.2m for maternal mental health
Got news to share from the world of FemTech and women’s health innovation? Let me know at anna@futurefemhealth.com
🩸 ’App users do not want to have to battle pop-ups and adverts just to add a period date’
Did you know that nearly 40% of period and cycle tracking app users aren’t actively using their apps each month?
This figure includes those who change apps, those who don’t regularly use the app, and those who stop using these apps entirely.
This week, I’ve got a guest post from Hannah Knowles, a UX researcher, who explains the factors behind this and how better user experience could help.
» Continue reading Hannah’s article on FutureFemHealth
✅ OVUM launches UK’s first fully recyclable pregnancy test into Sainsbury’s stores nationwide
Start-up OVUM is taking on the giants of pregnancy testing with something special - the UK’s first fully recyclable pregnancy test.
It’s also designed with real users in mind so you’ll get four tests in a box, since people trying to conceive often test early and regularly.
We love a FemTech challenger story and we applaud UK retailer Sainsbury’s for its belief in Ovum - they said the product “is destined to become a best-in-class and clear disruptor brand.”
OVUM launches in 345 Sainsbury’s stores nationwide from this Sunday.
» Continue reading on FutureFemHealth.
🍼 BoobyBiome: the start-up innovating with breast milk microbiome secures Forbes 30 under 30 recognition
What if we could take the beneficial microbiome from breastmilk and make it available for any baby, however parents choose (or are able to) feed?
That’s the mission of BoobyBiome - an award-winning start-up based in Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, who aim to close the disparity in infant feeding.
The co-founders have now just been named on the European 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Dr. Sioned Jones and Dr. Tara O’Driscoll made the list - but sadly co-founder, Dr. Lydia Mapstone, narrowly missed the age cutoff by just a couple of days!
» Continue reading on FutureFemHealth
💰 Funding, deals and investment news
📌 US: LunaJoy Health secures $4.2m for maternal mental health. A ten-year Transforming Maternal Health Model is soon to be released in the US with a notice of funding opportunity. That means its a great time for LunaJoy’s services - with its care models specifically designed to address maternal mental health in underserved populations. Funding is from Y Combinator, Founders X Fund and others. (Source: PR Web)
🌟 More news from this week
📌 Frida launches Frida Uncensored - an educational platform for women’s health products. Blurred images, asterisked words, ads banned - it’s REALLY tough trying to get your message across as a founder in women’s health (see our censHERship campaign for more!). But Frida founder Chelsea Hirschhorn is taking matters into her own hands, launching an uncensored website with transparent, unfiltered education. Content includes how-to demos for at-home insemination and a perineal massage wand. It’s a masterful campaign. (Source: Mashable)
📌 Roche secures CE mark for breast cancer diagnostic. There’s growing interest in developing ‘companion diagnostics’ in recent years - that’s where a patient is screened to see if they would benefit from a particular available therapy. This example from Roche - the Ventana HER2 test - can be used to identify metastatic breast cancer patients that could be eligible to receive the cancer therapy Enhertu. The test was approved by the FDA in 2022 and the CE mark now allows it to be used throughout Europe. (Source: Medical Device Network)
📌 Flo Health to launch world’s largest study of the female orgasm. The World Health Organisation recognises sexual health as fundamental to overall health and wellbeing. But female pleasure is under-researched. Period and cycle tracking app Flo Health wants to fill crucial gaps in this understanding. Not to mention destigmatisation thanks to this being led by the world’s most popular women’s health app! (Source: Flo Health)
🩸 Research and women’s health news
📌 UK: The trauma ward. Every year in the UK about 25,000 women who give birth - approximately 4 per cent - are so distressed that they meet the diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder. That makes birth one of the biggest causes of PTSD in the UK. This exceptionally raw and tough read by journalist Hannah Barnes uncovers this major health crisis and looks at what needs to be done. (Source: The New Statesman)
📌 UK: GPs urged to routinely ask women and girls about period problems. A survey by Wellbeing of Women has found that 97% of girls experienced painful periods, with 20% left bedbound. The charity has now urged the NHS to ask girls and women about their periods routinely when they access any medical care. (Source: The Guardian)
📌 US: WHAM and KPMG announce $1.1 Million partnership for women’s health research. It’s great to see big business stepping up to get behind women’s health. KPMG is using its advanced analytics to support the non-profit Women’s Health Access Matters (WHAM) in a multiyear partnership focusing on advancing research. (Source: WHAM)
✅ Jobs
📌 US: Senior research scientist - Women’s health, Oura
📌 US: Quality Manager, Sequel
📌 UK: Health Education Manager, Wellbeing of Women
📌 US: Medical claims coordinator, Natural Cycles
That’s all for this week! I love hearing your news and feedback - I’m on anna@futurefemhealth.com if you’d like to get in touch.
See you next time,
Anna