The femtech pioneers revolutionising contraception

Since the pill was invented in the 1960s, there has been little progress in the world of female contraception, and many of the methods currently on the market come with unwanted side effects. With the rise of femtech, however, comes renewed focus on providing contraceptive solutions that work for women. 

When it comes to contraception, the options for women haven’t changed for decades. From the hormonal pill to the IUD implant, many come with unwanted side effects and are not suitable for everyone.

Furthermore, women’s healthcare, of which contraception is a key part, has historically been under-funded and under-researched.

It’s a market ripe for disruption and innovation, which is exactly what the new breed of femtech pioneers are doing.

Period tracking apps

Tech to track menstrual cycles and symptoms is popular with both those women who are planning to conceive and those who definitely aren’t.

While tracking cycle lengths and ovulation times can help women decode the best time to get pregnant, it can also help those women who want a less invasive method of contraception, without having to use hormones.

One such app is Clue, one of the earliest entrants into the period tracking space, with around 13 million people. The team behind the app are preparing to launch a digital contraceptive, which will use a statistical prediction of ovulation as a birth control tool. This will let users know when they are more likely to fall pregnant so they can use birth control or abstain.

In the same vein is Natural Cycles, billed as the world’s first and only CE and FDA approved hormone-free, digital contraception solution.

With 1.5 million registered users it has shown to be 93 per cent effective with typical use, which rose to 98 per cent with perfect use – a similar level to the Pill, with none of the side effects.

Home delivery

In the US, access to contraception can be difficult, especially in more rural areas; around 1.5 million American women live in a county without a single health centre offering the full range of methods.

And the problem was only exacerbated during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

During the pandemic, digital health practice Nurx experienced a surge in requests for at-home delivery of contraception, with a 50 per cent spike in birth control requests, and 40 per cent for emergency contraception.

Following an initial online consultation, the firm delivers most types of birth control, from pills, rings, shots, and patches. It also offers an overnight home delivery of the morning-after pill, an emergency contraceptive that can help reduce chances of pregnancy if taken within three days of unprotected sex.

The perfect match

There are nearly 250 types of contraception available, so it can be hard for women (and prescribers) to have the time to find the right one.

London-based femtech start-up Tuune’s research found that 85 per cent of women did not feel that their doctor spent enough time to find the best birth control for them, 52 per cent of women, globally, experience side effects from their birth control, and 43 per cent of women believe they have a hormone imbalance but can’t get a doctor to diagnose it.

These findings were the catalyst for its innovative product, which uses AI and biological testing to match women with the most suitable contraception for them.

A topical treatment

Away from apps and deliveries, merging technologies have also found a new way to prevent pregnancy, in what its founders say is the biggest revolution in contraception since the Pill.

Copenhagen-based start-up Cirqle Biomedical has developed mucus engineering as a new alternative to hormonal birth control.

The first product based on the technology, named OUI, aims to be as effective as the pill with minimal side effects. It works by using small biopolymers to reinforce the natural mucus barrier in the cervix to make it impenetrable to sperm, preventing it from passing through the cervix and fertilising an egg.

The biopolymer used is derived from either mushrooms or the shell of crustaceans and is known to be biodegradable, non-toxic and already used in other FDA-approved medical devices.

An animal study demonstrated 100 per cent effectiveness and the firm is looking to start human trials in the near future.

Review platform

Contraceptive side effects are common, yet often not talked about or highlighted by medics. The Lowdown, an online review platform for contraception, aims to change that and allow women to make an informed choice.

It was developed by Alice Pelton, who, after being prescribed the Pill at 16, suffered a decade of mood swings before she connected her emotional state with her medication.

By collecting huge amounts of data through user-generated feedback, the site also allows women to check any symptoms they may be experiencing against their method of contraception, and search for alternatives by connecting users with expert advice.