Digital Practice

Innovative health tech products developed by women, for women are changing the way we look after our wellbeing

- Angela Tufversson

Imagine this: you’re struggling to get pregnant but instead of peeing on a stick or taking your temperature at exactly the same time every day, you slip on a bracelet before you go to bed. While you sleep, its sensors measure key physiological areas to figure out your fertile window.

Or this: You’re one of the 17% of New Zealand women affected by incontinence – perhaps you’ve recently had a baby or gone through menopause – but you’re not sure how to perform pelvic floor exercises or whether you’re squeezing the right spot. You insert a small gadget in much the same way as a tampon. It’s linked to an app that guides you through the exercises – the stronger you squeeze, the higher the ball on the app rises.

This is ‘femtech’ – or female technology – and it’s very much a reality. Covering everything from reproductive health and perinatal care to pelvic floor health and sexual wellness, femtech is all about using technology to find solutions to female health problems. It’s a global phenomenon – estimated to be worth a whopping $75 billion by 2025 – with the potential to benefit the everyday lives of Kiwi women.

INNOVATE AND EMPOWER