What is Femtech? Definition, Meaning, and Explanations
Did you know that women make up half of the world's population, which means approximately 3.905 billion people?1 Despite this, only 4% of global medical research is dedicated to women's health2, according to a US study. It's unbelievable that much of modern medicine was developed based on male physiology, and it wasn't until 1993 that women began participating in clinical trials or actively got involved in significant roles3. The EU has also been working on more transparency within clinic trials in recent years, and since 2014, the EU Clinical Trial Regulation No 536/2014 came to place to promote exactly this.
Even today, women's bodies remain somewhat of a mystery. But the good news is that the Femtech industry is making tremendous efforts and advancements to bridge the gap and help women within the healthcare ecosystem. Sounds exciting? Grab a cup of tea and let’s dive in!
Everything You Need to Know About Femtech
What Does Femtech Mean?
Femtech, short for female technology, refers to a category of technology that specifically addresses women's health and well-being. It encompasses a wide range of digital health tools, products, and services that use technology to address women's health issues, enhance their healthcare experiences, and empower them to take control of their own health.
When Did Femtech Become Popular?
The term "Femtech" gained popularity in the early 2010s, but the development of technologies addressing women's health concerns has been ongoing for several years. The emergence of Femtech is closely tied to increased awareness and recognition of women's unique health needs, as well as advancements in technology and a growing demand for personalized healthcare solutions.
What Kind of Solutions Are Available Within Femtech?
Femtech solutions can cover various aspects of women's health, including:
- Reproductive health
- Fertility tracking
- Pregnancy and postpartum care
- Menstrual health
- Sexual wellness
- General well-being
These technologies may include mobile apps, wearable devices, smart sensors, telemedicine platforms, and other digital tools designed to monitor, manage, and improve women's health.
What is the Goal of Femtech?
The goal of Femtech is to provide women with better access to information, support, and resources related to their health, ultimately improving their overall well-being.
By Whom and Where is Femtech Being Used?
Femtech is used globally by a diverse range of individuals, including women of various ages and backgrounds, healthcare professionals, and anyone interested in leveraging technology to address women's health and well-being. The use of Femtech spans multiple contexts:
- Individual Users
- Healthcare Professionals
- Research and Development
- Employers and Health Programs
Femtech, being a versatile and user-centric field, is continually expanding its user base and applications as technology advances and awareness of women's health grows.
What's the Difference Between Femtech and Healthtech?
"Femtech" specifically targets women's health, addressing areas like reproductive health and wellness. "Healthtech" is a broader term covering a range of technologies for general healthcare, including telemedicine and health monitoring, applicable to diverse populations. Femtech is a subset of Healthtech, with a focused emphasis on women's unique health needs.
How Femtech Can Positively Impact the World
The women's health and technology industry has been revolutionizing the way we approach women's health for over two decades now. It's been an exciting journey since then, with entrepreneur Ida Tin coining the term Femtech4 in 2016 to legitimize the female health technology market and drive investment and innovation in the space.
What Problems Does Femtech Solve?
Today, Femtech is changing the history of women's lives and growing significantly in various healthcare areas including fertility, menstrual health, maternal health, menopause, contraception, and others. In fact, by 2025, the market is expected to be almost twice as large as it was in 20205.
It's interesting to note that up to January 2022, 821 companies led the Femtech space according to PitchBook Data Inc.6 Some of the top Femtech companies right now, like Flo Health, Natural Cycles, Clue, Maven Clinics, and others, are increasing female representation in the women’s health tech ecosystem.
What's more, the Femtech industry is causing a positive impact by achieving breakthroughs in many important areas. For example, it's improving care delivery, enabling self-care, improving diagnoses, addressing stigmatized areas, and delivering culturally sensitive and tailored care, as stated in a McKinsey article7.
Potential Areas of Research in Femtech
Although the Femtech industry has made remarkable progress, there's still a lot of work that needs to be done, especially in countries where the lack of innovation and safety, a male-centered industry, and the sexualization of women are still major barriers. These obstacles have resulted in poor health outcomes for women, both physically and mentally, making it an urgent priority to address these issues8.
How the Exclusion of Women in Clinic Trials Affect Their Health
In this context, it's vital to recognize the lack of research in women's health, leading to potential issues like misdiagnoses, incorrect treatments, and insufficient funding for women's solutions. A study named Women's Involvement in Clinical Trials9 made in the US, highlights the deficiencies in analyzing sex-specific differences in the data, which hinders the progress of understanding women's response to medication. The study concludes that data from women must be available when making decisions on dosing, safety, and efficacy of therapeutic agents. This emphasizes the need for more research and the inclusion of women in clinical trials10.
There’s also been made similar studies in EU concluding that there’s a lack of studies of females that has caused gaps in the knowledge on how both medicines, symptoms, and treatments has differentiating results on women versus men. It's impossible to ignore these issues, and it's imperative to take action to address them since the exclusion of females in clinic studies has negative effects on their health.
In addition to women's health data, Femtech also addresses body dissatisfaction. Shockingly, a study found that 76% of women feel dissatisfied with their body shape, and over half of them continue to strive to achieve their ideal body vision11. However, there’s always something to do about it, and that's where Mia Femtech™ comes in! Our vision is to empower women to take control of their bodies and health through technology, offering current knowledge and safe solutions for informed health decisions.
Mia Femtech™: Body-mind Empowerment at the Core
Did you know that Mia Femtech™ is dedicated to addressing unmet needs in breast aesthetics and well-being? Our innovative approach aims to create harmonising solutions, normalise breast aesthetics, and encourage open conversations about women's beauty, health, and well-being.
This commitment drives significant advancements in the Femtech industry, revolutionising how women perceive and care for their breasts. And it doesn't end there. We’re committed to empowering women to make their own choices by providing them with the best information to take control of their bodies and lives. We also aim to normalize breast health aesthetics, ensuring women feel comfortable and confident through our breast procedures.
Moreover, we believe in creating safe solutions and has expertise in all stages of a woman's breast journey, serving more than 85 countries.
We believe that achieving harmony in every aspect of your life is not just a frivolous dream but a natural state where every woman deserves to be. We aim to empower women by providing innovative solutions that can contribute to making life harmonious while achieving body-mind balance.
Mia Femtech™ is a Breast Harmonization Experience based on minimally invasive technology, shaping and enhancing your breasts 1 to 2 cups up with natural, discreet, and proportional results12. Performed in 15 minutes* or less with no general anesthesia13 so you can return to your daily routine on the same day.**
What do you think of women’s health these days? What do you think women need? Is there more work to be done? Let’s empower the discussion! Together we can make a difference.
Referencer
- The World Bank IBRD-IDA, Population female (%of the total population, 2022), retrieved from data bank, https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL.FE.ZS
- Kelly Knickerbocker. 19 female-focused health startups founded by women. 2023. Retrieved from https://pitchbook.com/blog/female-focused-health-startups-founded-by-women.
- Liu KA, Mager NA. Women's involvement in clinical trials: historical perspective and future implications. Pharm Pract (Granada). 2016 Jan-Mar;14(1):708. doi: 10.18549/PharmPract.2016.01.708. Epub 2016 Mar 15. PMID: 27011778; PMCID: PMC4800017.
- Femtech Founder: An Interview with Clue CEO, Ida Tin, Femtech Live, February 11, 2021, https://Femtech.live/Femtech-founder-an-interview-with-clue-ceo-ida-tin/
- Femtech analytics, Femtech Market Overview, retrieved from Femtech Market Overview (n.d). https://www.Femtech.health/Femtech-market-overview
- Kelly Knickerbocker. 19 female-focused health startups founded by women. 2023. Retrieved from https://pitchbook.com/blog/female-focused-health-startups-founded-by-women.
- The dawn of the Femtech revolution, McKinsey&Company, Emma Kemble, Lucy Pérez, Valentina Sartori, Gila Tolub and Alice Zheng, February 14, 2022. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare/our-insights/the-dawn-of-the-Femtech-revolution
- Liu KA, Mager NA. Women's involvement in clinical trials: historical perspective and future implications. Pharm Pract (Granada). 2016 Jan-Mar;14(1):708. doi: 10.18549/PharmPract.2016.01.708. Epub 2016 Mar 15. PMID: 27011778; PMCID: PMC4800017.
- Liu KA, Mager NA. Women's involvement in clinical trials: historical perspective and future implications. Pharm Pract (Granada). 2016 Jan-Mar;14(1):708. doi: 10.18549/PharmPract.2016.01.708. Epub 2016 Mar 15. PMID: 27011778; PMCID: PMC4800017.
- Liu KA, Mager NA. Women's involvement in clinical trials: historical perspective and future implications. Pharm Pract (Granada). 2016 Jan-Mar;14(1):708. doi: 10.18549/PharmPract.2016.01.708. Epub 2016 Mar 15. PMID: 27011778; PMCID: PMC4800017.
- Response to a Market Study Europe and Japan Nov 2022/937 respondents from target: Woman 25-54 High Income All cups. (n.d).
- Establishment Labs®. Data on file. CLINR-001018.
- Establishment Labs®. Data on file. CLINP-001007
*Mia® results and experience time may vary from consumer to consumer.
**Please consult your doctor before returning to your daily routine.