Health Technology and Reproduction

Shruthi Mahalingaiah, MD, MS

Femtech is a term that refers to female health technology, which has been historically overlooked. In recent years, the femtech field has increased its presence dramatically across multiple platforms including Android, iOS, web, and device technology. This field shows the early promise of digitally delivered health information and interventions across a lifespan. This rapid growth is reflected economically; femtech is marketed globally at $55.86 billion, up to $4.61 billion from 2023, and has a projected growth of $121.33 billion by 2033 (Precedence Research, 2023).[1] The success and growth of this industry remain unsurprising given the ubiquity of femtech products in everyday life: apps, online services, medical devices, wearables (e.g., watches, rings), software, and other products. The increasing accessibility to these services provides women with the opportunity to understand and optimize their health at an individual level.

However, as the rise in digital health grows, it is important that the femtech industry prioritizes the health of the individual. The tools produced by femtech companies are ultimately there to serve the user and should be measured by improvement in health outcomes or improved self-management. To ensure the prioritization of consumers' health, as companies design, develop, and implement new digital tools and techniques, they must consider best data practices, data collection consent and privacy, and iterative intervention. From both the scientific and business perspectives, the focus must be on the betterment of health for women as individuals, especially for further vulnerable populations.

This journal issue aims to explore a few burgeoning fields in femtech from both the industry and scientific perspectives. There is an overarching life course approach to this issue, with considerations of digital reproductive health across the lifespan—for example, menstrual cycles and performance optimization for college athletes (Hunter and Smith, How the Menstrual Cycle Can Be Utilized During Sports Training, Performance, and Recovery through Wearable Technology: A Narrative Review for Researchers, Physicians, Coaches, and Athletes).

The next stage of digital intervention is in the reproductive life stage. Shkodzik provides an overview of emerging ovulation detection technologies (Innovative Approaches to Digital Health in Ovulation Detection: A Review of Current Methods and Emerging Technologies). This area of femtech is further expanded upon by Levia (Helping Patients to Predict and Confirm Ovulation with the Use of Combined Urinary Hormonal and Smartphone Technology: A Proof-of-Concept Retrospective Descriptive Case Series). The reproductive life stage apexes at family planning. Wegrzynowicz et al delve into ovulation tracking regarding fertility and family planning (Current Ovulation and Luteal Phase Tracking Methods and Technologies for Fertility and Family Planning: A Review).

With a similar focus on reproduction, Yao et al explore how femtech can be used in relation to infertility and infertility treatment prognostication (Patient-Centric In Vitro Fertilization Prognostic Counseling Using Machine Learning for the Pragmatist). Wolf et al review various oocyte cryopreservation calculators that exist to make informed choices and set realistic expectations in an infertility setting (Understanding the Strengths and Limitations of Online Oocyte Cryopreservation Calculators). Femtech opportunities expand beyond conception as Malloy's review article explores femtech's role in addressing birth equity (Impact of Digital Health Interventions on Birth Equity: A Review). As alluded to previously, women are a vulnerable population, and other characteristics such as race and ethnicity, income level, and educational level can affect the burden of disease.

Carol Johnson tackles the role of digital platforms in addressing women's health education on gynecological conditions in the article Connecting the Dots on Female Digital Health Education: A Systematic Review. While not covered in this set of articles, digital technologies have also been applied to menopause, sexual health, urogynecological intervention, mental health, and many other areas that impact women's health. Ultimately, femtech has the potential to play a pivotal, individualized role in helping women understand their health and bodies throughout their lifespan if appropriately focused on health outcomes.

Publication History

Article published online:
21 November 2024

• Reference

• 1 Precedence Research. Femtech Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, Regional Outlook, and Forecast 2023–2032, July 2023