You can now use Internet video calls with medical
professionals to get a prescription for contraceptives, test yourself for STDs,
consult with a midwife, or get personalized treatment for migraines. As more
women sit on the boards of tech companies, and COVID-19 makes in-person doctor
visits less desirable, digital practices specializing in women’s health are
booming.
Nurx, a San Francisco-based telehealth company
specializing in reproductive health, just raised $22.5 million to increase its
patient base and add new “sensitive” services, including remote evaluation of
headaches and migraines, which affect three times as many women as men, notes
business website Pulse 2.0. Nurx already serves 300,000 patients on a monthly
basis, connecting patients, medical providers, and pharmacies in a single
online platform. Its physicians can prescribe contraceptives, send clients test
kits for STIs, and address herpes and HIV, services that can be difficult to
access and often carry shame and stigma. The practice also accepts health
insurance and offers affordable pricing for patients without insurance.
While many routine medical checkups have been postponed due
to the pandemic, such delays are not an option for pregnant women. Poppy Seed Health offers webinars and 24/7 text support to
connect pregnant and postpartum women with a doula, midwife, or nurse. The
business has grown 140 percent since the quarantine began. Another firm, Nuvo,
goes a step farther by providing pregnant clients with wearable devices that
capture maternal and fetal vitals, which are transmitted to a clinician for
monitoring.
Such businesses are supported by Rhia Ventures, a firm that
raises capital for underfunded areas of women's health, commonly called
“femtech” in the investment field.
One issue these companies are facing is how to serve
low-income women. Poppy Seed takes a portion of its earnings to subsidize its
ability to accept Medicaid. The company's founder, Simmone Taitt, said her
service actually makes working with a doula, who can not only advise but also
advocate for clients, considerably more affordable.
“What I think has been fascinating during this particular
period of COVID,” Elizabeth Bailey of Rhia Ventures told the investment website
Worth, “is that access is now an issue for everyone. It has shined this really
bright light on inequities but also shined the light on potential solutions
around access for everyone.”
Debra Bass of Nuvo Group America pointed out that investment
in health technologies for women has had low priority in the past, but she sees
women moving into leadership roles in banking and health care, and she expects
they will continue to help femtech grow.