'Governing the Dashboard': Forecasts from Women's Health Specialists for 2025
'Governing the Dashboard': Forecasts from Women's Health Specialists for 2025
Stepping into 2025, it seems like we're just starting to grasp the biological disparities between men and women, according to Oriana Papin-Zoghbi, Co-Founder and CEO of AOA Dx.
Ideally, this comprehension should have occurred earlier. Regrettably, women of child-bearing age were prohibited from joining clinical trials until 1993. Since then, the healthcare sector has had over 3 decades to compensate for this exclusion and gather data on this demographic. Nevertheless, due to the low representation of women in clinical trials, their health continues to be overlooked and misconstrued. Consequently, men are considered the norm for circumstances like estimating drug dosages, identifying heart attack signs, and developing and testing car safety features. Despite their distinct biology, women are simplified to just "smaller males".
However, Ms. Papin-Zoghbi of AOA Dx., along with other pioneers in women’s health and investors, is positive about the growth in women’s health, the emergence of innovations that acknowledge and serve women’s unique biological disparities, and women’s capacity to initiate – and lead – their healthcare.
Obstacles: Accessibility and Education
2025 will not be devoid of challenges. Presently, women, even prior to any potential future limitations on their health, grapple with limited education and accessibility (to quality) healthcare. For instance, only 46% of the 1,000 surveyed women are aware that genetic heredity cancer tests are obtainable to ascertain their family risk of cancer (such as breast and ovarian cancer, etc.), 32% of U.S adults are uncertain whether emergency contraceptives are lawful in their state (emergency contraceptives are legal in all states), and 21% of women aged 40 and over have never had a mammogram (mammograms are suggested at least every other year for women aged 40-74).
In the upcoming year, attributed to Jamie Norwood, Co-Founder of Winx Health, accessibility, education, and openness will likely be at the heart of women’s health, as she claims they are more crucial than ever before in light of the mounting threat of further limitations nationwide and the overall lack of education revolving around women’s healthcare. 50% of American counties do not have OBGYNs, new reproductive health regulations are limiting access to care, and there is a significant knowledge gap. Norwood highlighted Winx Health’s free sexual education platform and other education initiatives as resources “intended to empower women to make informed, confident health decisions”. Katie Diasti, Co-Founder of Viv, and Laura McDonald, Co-Founder and CEO of Flora Fertility, concurred that companies can help bridge these gaps; Viv’s community turns to it daily to learn and comprehend their bodies in a world that fails to educate and support women’s health and reproductive health while Flora’s fertility benefits solution assists upcoming generations in accessing fertility coverage and care, if required.
As Samantha Diamond, CEO and Co-Founder of Bird&Be, concludes, a trend in 2025 will be the availability of “authentic, scientifically-sound education to aid women navigating healthcare”: for menstruation, sexual education and health, fertility, and more.
Obstacles: Reproductive Health
However, the regulations, limitations, and rulings surrounding reproductive health – which can veer towards menstruation, sexual health, contraception, fertility, preconception, childbirth, postpartum, and menopause – pose significant concerns for women’s health consumers and advocates. Delphine O'Rourke, JD, healthcare lawyer and Lead Partner at Portfolia's FemTech Fund, stated, “In the past two and a half years since Dobbs [v. Jackson Women's Health Organization], battles have been waged across the U.S. to further define – because Dobbs left the definition so ambiguous and open – reproductive care at the state and federal levels.”
A striking example of this is the conclusion of six states’ abortion litigation and the ongoing lawsuits in twelve others, according to KFF. Since the Dobbs decision in 2022, 17 states have also voted on abortion. Public opinion to preserve these rights was recorded in 14 states, including both red-leaning swing states such as Arizona and Ohio, and traditionally conservative states such as Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, and Montana. The three states that failed to safeguard abortion access were Nebraska, South Dakota, and Florida (whose proposed amendment acquired 57% support but needed a 60% supermajority to pass).
Ms. O'Rourke also pointed out that Dobbs drew an “invisible line in the sand” that states are currently testing, through their policies regarding abortion and otherwise. “Alabama tested [this line] with IVF and discovered that it crossed the line, and Mifepristone [the abortion pill] will be tested again, as will EMTALA [the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act], medical emergencies, IVF.” She continued, “We will continue to witness this back-and-forth in the middle states – they serve as a testing ground for stakeholders to examine how far is too far in either direction.”
Amidst these experimental arenas, there's some encouraging news: "the majority of the public is advocating for the rights of themselves, their loved ones, and women globally," revealed Cynthia Plotch, Co-Founder of Winx Health. Similar to Ms. O'Rourke, she anticipates that reproductive health will continue to be a significant concern in the forthcoming months and years. However, women, being intelligent and proactive, are swiftly preparing for anticipated reproductive health challenges by stockpiling emergency contraception, birth control, and more. According to Ms. Diamond of Bird&Be, government regulations and health system constraints, such as in education and healthcare access, necessitate that "women, more than ever, must take control of their own health care."
Kian Sadeghi, CEO and Founder of Nucleus, shares this optimistic perspective, predicting that "in the coming years, we expect to see continued investments in women's health as consumers become increasingly active in their health journeys, driving purchases for self-health monitoring, from testing to daily tracking and beyond." Ms. Norwood of Winx Health labels this rising autonomy and engagement a "movement," while Halle Marchese, Director at Nucleus, calls it a "revolution." Marchese expects this "revolution" to materialize in at-home testing, such as through products offered by Oura, Evvy, Tiny Health, Everlywell, and Nucleus.
Encouraging Development: Female-Focused Tech & Statistics
These technologies and testing serve an essential purpose for women, as Ms. Papin-Zoghbi elaborated: "Women's data is vital to advancing the field and driving meaningful research." Lindsey Calcutt, PhD, CEO and Co-Founder of Incora Health, supports this notion, arguing that technologies, such as at-home tests and female-specific wearables, can provide "more personalized and relevant health data" while maintaining both functionality and aesthetics. Nonetheless, Calcutt cautioned women to be wary of technology that still caters primarily to men, potentially resulting in misleading or even detrimental recommendations.
Fitness trackers are a prime example of wearables that may be "extremely inaccurate" for women due to their fluctuating resting heart rate throughout their menstrual cycle. Calcutt explained, "When wearables fail to recognize these variations, they may prompt women to overexert themselves during workouts."
Moreover, it's essential for women to be aware of how their data is being utilized. Some companies, according to Ms. Papin-Zoghbi of AOA Dx., possess robust legal structures, clear data usage policies, and open communication, while others do not. In both cases, the primary focus should be on fostering research contributions while being mindful and prudent in handling data.
According to Offer Yehudai, CEO and Co-Founder of Arya, 2025 signifies a "crucial milestone" for technology. He stated, "Over the past half-decade, technology has been employed as a tool to engage in numerous wellness aspects, from skill development to enhancing sleep and monitoring health. In the year ahead, we'll witness even more integrated technology in our lives, thus marking a critical juncture to shape its implementation."
Although technology and the data it creates can offer new insight into women's health, it is not the sole resource for understanding females' health challenges. Women can also make strides towards improving their healthcare simply by openly expressing their health concerns. Conditions like infertility, menopause, osteoporosis, and painful periods are common in women, with 1 in 6 couples dealing with infertility, perimenopause impacting all menstruating women, more than 8 million American women suffering from osteoporosis, and around 80% of women experiencing painful periods. However, the prevalence of these issues is often shrouded in shame and secrecy, hindering public understanding of their widespread occurrence. For example, a survey found that 55% of people misperceive that miscarriages occur in only 5% of all pregnancies.
This movement (as Ms. Norwood of Winx Health described it) and revolution (as Ms. Marchese of Nucleus labeled it) both represent women breaking their silence and openly discussing their health struggles. One recent manifestation of this trend is Naomi Watts, who was recognized by CNN as one of its "Risk Takers" for 2024 despite her fear of sharing her own menopause experiences. Watts navigated past historical stigmas surrounding menopause, enabling other women to speak up and access the care they need.
This shift isn't exclusively dependent on the federal government and the incoming administration, which is anticipated to shift away from the extraordinary backing for women's health that the Biden Administration has demonstrated. From November 2023, marking the commencement of the White House Initiative on Women's Health Research, to December 2024, and the White House Conference on Women's Health Research. Marissa Fayer, MBA, CEO of DeepLook Medical, was among the attendees at the White House Conference and shares concerns about the change in administration. However, she is optimistic that "women and women's health will persist, disregarding politics" since women's health is "agnostic to political preference". Women will continue to struggle with conditions like cancer, endometriosis, and others, irrespective of who holds office.
Arianne Kidder, Partner at Seae Ventures, believes that these challenges can stimulate growth, opportunities, and perseverance, primarily through the private sector rather than the public one. In her opinion, the restriction of access triggers the growth of virtual or telehealth services. Some companies have experienced a reverse correlation between states enacting backward policies and innovation momentum. In 2025, the private sector might drive innovation in women's health, as Ms. Fayer puts it, "will and must continue [its] work, regardless of the administration".
Private investments in women's health are already increasing: According to Mr. Sadeghi of Nucleus, "Venture-backed investments in women's health are growing at a 5% annual rate in 2023, despite a nearly $10 billion decrease in overall healthcare investment". He highlighted that Nucleus is experiencing this growth itself, with monthly growth and over $18M in investments. Furthermore, PitchBook Data reveals that venture-backed companies categorized as "women's health", "women's healthcare", or "femtech" have seen an improvement from 52 deals and $359M collectively raised in 2015 to 108 deals and $1.25B collectively raised as of 2024.
Christy Lane, MD, Co-Founder and President of Flora Fertility, emphasized the significance of continuing investments in women to foster new research, innovation, and solutions aligned with women's evolving needs. Mr. Sadeghi agrees, predicting that continuance of investments in women's health is inevitable. Likewise, Alice Zheng, Partner at Foreground Capital, believes that the women's health sector "will continue to draw investment and attention", that "state-level regulations will gain importance in the realm of reproductive health", and that the country will witness "private sector opportunities due to regulatory changes (e.g. OTC birth control)".
To seize these opportunities, innovators, investors, and consumers all must engage. In Ms. Fayer's words, "As innovators, we must innovate. As investors, we must support the areas that personally impact us as women and areas that we are worried about. As consumers, we must back products, technologies, and companies that align with our values". Dr. Lane of Flora Fertility concurs, stating, "As advocates, consumers, and entrepreneurs - our money matters". Ms. Norwood of Winx believes that women's health consumers can influence change by pushing for increased access to women's healthcare essentials, emphasizing the importance of education, and combatting misinformation. These enhancements in access, education, innovations, and investment will not only benefit women but also trigger a ripple effect, as Mr. Yehudai of Arya explained, "When women are content, the economy, society, and our health as a nation improves".
To Ms. Papin-Zoghbi of AOA Dx., women's health "should be a priority for anyone who cares about women's well-being". However, this must encompass women themselves. Ms. Calcutt of Incora hopes that women's perspectives will evolve in the new year, enabling them to "truly prioritize their health". For too long, women have neglected their healthcare, sacrificing their well-being in favor of other responsibilities. For 2025, she stated, "This needs to change".
In 2025, women's health experts predict a surge in investments in female-focused tech, driven by the growing demand for more personalized and relevant health data. Despite the challenges in reproductive health regulations, advocates like Cynthia Plotch and Delphine O'Rourke encourage women to take control of their health care. In this context, technology becomes a crucial tool for women, providing at-home testing and wearables that can offer insights into women's health challenges.
However, Lindsey Calcutt warns women to be vigilant about the accuracy and appropriateness of these tech tools, as some may still cater primarily to men's health, potentially leading to misleading or detrimental recommendations. As a result, it's essential for women to remain aware of how their data is being used and to only rely on companies with robust legal structures, clear data utilization policies, and transparent communication.
According to Kian Sadeghi, this rising trend towards self-health monitoring is a "crucial milestone" for technology, marking a significant turning point in its implementation in our daily lives. Tech entrepreneurs like Offer Yehudai predict an even more integrated role for technology in wellness areas like skill development, sleep enhancement, and health monitoring in the upcoming year.
In a different context, Samantha Diamond, CEO and Co-Founder of Bird&Be, emphasizes that the trend in 2025 will be the availability of "authentic, scientifically-sound education to aid women navigating healthcare," particularly in areas like menstruation, sexual health, fertility, and more. For Diamond, addressing the lack of education around women's health is crucial to empowering women to make informed, confident health decisions.
In conclusion, 2025 is poised to be a pivotal year in both women's health and the role of technology in improving women's well-being. As women continue to raise their collective voices and demand better access to healthcare and education, advocates and investors alike are likely to drive further innovation and investment in female-focused health solutions.