💌 Issue 96: Record levels for women's health VC investment | Predicting preeclampsia | Testing 'Cycle Syncing' | Affordable IVF

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

Apr 09, 2025

Hello and welcome to issue #96 of FutureFemHealth (w/c April 7 2025).

🌟 Coming up today we’ve got:

💰 Record investment in women’s health - yes, really!
🤰🏼 Future Family is expanding access to IVF with a $400m financing round
🩸 FLO Living puts ‘Cycle Syncing’ method to the test
✅ Breakthrough study backs Mirvie blood test to predict preeclampsia months before symptoms

Got news to share with our 8,000 global readers working in women’s health and FemTech? Let me know at anna@futurefemhealth.com

💡 Of course, women’s health was never actually niche

It may not always feel like it, but VC funding is beginning to reach women’s health.

In 2024, investment in the US and Europe hit $2.6 billion, nearly $1 billion more than in 2023.

That’s according to a new report from Silicon Valley Bank, which points out something even more important…

When you expand the definition of women’s health to include conditions that disproportionately or differently affect women, that number jumps to a much larger $10.7 billion.

The real opportunity then? Rethinking what counts as women’s health.

Those of us working in the sector have long used expanded definitions to capture the true scope and opportunity.

But perhaps the next leap forward is better articulating that definition to generalist investors, healthcare leaders and others who still see ‘women’s health’ as niche.

Because when you include adjacent areas like cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, autoimmune conditions and behavioral health the scale of the sector becomes impossible to ignore. This will be a major theme to watch through 2025 and beyond.

SVB’s report outlines how we’re now entering a third wave of investment in this space. First came early bets on fertility and maternal health (often where the ‘brand Femtech’ label gets stuck). Then a second wave focused on menopause and gynecology.

Now, a broader lens is thankfully emerging - one that recognizes how major diseases can and do manifest differently in women.

“If gaps in care are causing women’s health outcomes to be worse, or if major diseases are predominantly affecting women, then those are women’s health issues - even if women aren’t exclusively affected.” —SVB

Of course, the challenges are still real. Where are the exits, the IPOs and the M&As? Those are the drumbeat of success stories that drive momentum. Last week’s Elvie acquisition hardly helped things when it was likely ‘sold for parts.’ The pressure is on for women’s health - although as the report notes, if we do redefine women’s health we can find (some) exits, IPOs and M&As in adjacent categories.

But even still, this report frames women’s health not as a risk, but as an upside opportunity. The category is still early - and growing fast.

“While 2025 may present challenges, the long-term potential of the sector is clear, and we expect continued investment focused on addressing the unmet healthcare needs for women.” - SVB.

Continue reading: Read our breakdown of the SVB report and key takeaways.

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💰 Funding, deals and investment news

woman in white long sleeve shirt — Photo by Anastasiia Chepinska on Unsplash

📌 U.S: Future Family secures $400M financing to expand IVF financing and insurance. Fertility treatment is financially out of reach for so many. Future Family recently launched an IVF insurance product ‘baby or your money back’ to guarantee a refund (up to a coverage limit) after two failed IVF cycles. Now, with $400m in new financing from Clear Haven Capital Management the company plans to scale access even further - meeting growing demand for fertilty care in a way that’s financially accessible too. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)

🌟 Industry news from this week

📌 GLOBAL: FLO Living and partners launch study to put popular 'Cycle Syncing' method to the test. The practice of tailoring your diet, workouts and lifestyle to your menstrual cycle has exploded in popularity since FLO Living founder Alisa Vitti introduced it in 2020. But despite its viral appeal, some health experts have questioned its scientific grounding. Now, a new three-month study aims to provide some answers. Involving 60 participants, the research is backed by Citruslabs, hormone-testing kit Mira, and glucose tracker Hello Inside, and will explore whether syncing your habits to your cycle really leads to better health outcomes. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)

📌 UK: Moody App launches new mode for pregnancy loss and maternal mental health. Most pregnancy apps focus almost exclusively on baby’s development, with little to no support when it comes to miscarriage or mental wellbeing. Moody’s new mode in its hormone-tracking app now offers specific emotional and hormonal guidance for those who need it. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)

📌 US: Covera Health launches AI platform to boost early detection in women's health. Too often, serious conditions like breast cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis go undetected until it’s too late. That’s what Covera Health aims to change with ‘Protect Her’, an an AI-powered platform that spots early signs of disease by analyzing imaging studies women are already getting. Beyond earlier diagnosis, the tool may also reduce costs for employers and insurers by preventing avoidable complications and time off work - while improving outcomes for women. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)

📌 UK: National retailer Tesco makes ‘menopause friendly’ bays permanent after GenM trial. Menopausal women struggle to find clearly-labelled products to support their symptoms. Now, after a trial last year, the UK’s biggest supermarket will continue stocking products signposted with GenM’s ‘MTick’ symbol, helping shoppers navigate everything from supplements to skincare with more ease and less stigma. (Continue reading: The Grocer)

📌 U.S: The HRT Club partners with MyMenopauseRx to improve access to menopausal care in 21 states. Access to HRT in the U.S can be challenging - with inconsistent insurance coverage, often high copays, and delays in accessing treatment. But, with this new partnership, patients can now access self-pay prescriptions at up to 90% discount, paired with menopause-specialist telehealth care (insurance optional). (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)

🩸 Research and women’s health news

📌 U.S: Breakthrough study backs Mirvie blood test to predict preeclampsia months before symptoms. Current screening methods for preeclampsia miss too many women because they rely on maternal history and general risk factors. But this new study using data from 9,000 pregnancies shows that Mirvie’s blood test can predict preeclampsia as early as 17.5 weeks into pregnancy, even in low-risk cases. The hope? Earlier interventions, healthier pregnancies and fewer complications. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)

📌 UK: Calla Lily's pioneering device for threatened miscarriage moves towards clinical trials with £1m NIHR funding boost. Progesterone is recommended by NICE for women experiencing early pregnancy bleeding who have previously suffered miscarriage. But current methods for drug delivery rely on vaginal pessaries, which are prone to significant leakage, causing anxiety and inconvenience for patients at an already distressing time. The Callavid® device, shaped like a small tampon with an integrated mini-liner, is designed to remain in place while the medication is absorbed, before being cleanly removed. It also has use cases during IVF. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)

📌 CANADA: Digital therapy program offers hope for sexual desire disorder, study finds. Up to 40% of women experience Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder (SIAD) - yet it remains widely underdiagnosed and untreated. Now, a randomized controlled trial has shown that eSense Health’s self-guided platform - combining Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness-Based Therapy (MBT) - can ‘significantly improve’ sexual wellbeing. Gains were sustained at a six-month follow-up and notably, participants with a history of sexual trauma experienced similar improvements, including reductions in trauma-related symptoms. (Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)

📌 U.S: New report shows women at the sharp end of sleep struggles. Sleep is essential to our overall health, but there’s a gender gap emerging in this important area too. According to a new national report, 57% of women cite stress and anxiety as key barriers to sleep, compared to just 46% of men. They’re also more likely to rely on sleep aids (both prescription and over-the-counter) to get rest. That’s according to The State of Sleep Health 2025, a new national report surveying 1,000 people, by digital sleep clinic Dreem Health.(Continue reading: FutureFemHealth)

📌 UK: Woman becomes first UK womb transplant recipient to give birth. For women born without a womb, carrying a pregnancy is out of reach. But Grace, who has Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a rare condition that affects about one in every 5,000 women, has become the first person in the UK to give birth following a womb transplant. Globally, over 100 womb transplants have been performed, with at least 50 babies born as a result. (Continue reading: The Guardian)

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.