Could femtech offer creative solutions for women seeking abortion care?

With one in four women accessing abortion during their lifetimes, we examine if femtech’s interest in fertility could provide options for abortion aftercare

Femtech is taking on the fertility market by providing options for women who have been disappointed by the care already on offer. One of the ways in which it excels in considering all areas of fertility however controversial or difficult. This includes discussions on discharge health, miscarriages, depression and the difficult subject of abortion care.

The demand for abortion care is rising thanks to the pandemic and also, new laws such as the Texas restrictions passed last year.  A study by researchers at the University of Texas found that requests by people in the state to an international humanitarian organisation, Aid Access rose by almost 1,200 per cent the same week that Senate Bill 8 went into effect.

When it comes to offering care options, femtech is perfectly positioned to offer help to women considering their options. It can offer communication with healthcare professionals via telemedicine links and platforms with detailed care or education options. It may also offer ordering options for pills, therapies or pain medication through virtual reality stores or clinics. All of which allows women to make their own decisions, at home, with loved ones and feel supported.

So what are the ways in which femtech companies are approaching abortion care?

Women First Digital on Whatsapp

Women First Digital (WFD) is not just a predominately female-run platform for safe abortion information but also offers contraceptive, sexual and reproductive health advice. The platform recently released a WhatsApp bot extension for Ally, which was the world’s first-ever abortion virtual assistant. It connects women across the globe to accurate information on abortion care or services.

The biggest benefit of using WhatsApp chatbots in healthcare is the immediate reach. It can be used by consultants for everything from reminding patients to take their medication on time to providing health data. It also reaches patients in their own environment to empower them to take control of their own healthcare. It allows women to make informed decisions with information on demand, as needed and furthers communication with experts in the field on offer through the app.

WhatsApp also provides complete protection to the data and identity of all parties through two-factor authentication, end-to-end encryption, and business verification.

Tisha Gopalakrishnan, Executive Director of WFD said:  “Women First Digital inhabits the intersection between technology and reproductive healthcare with eHealth platforms intended to minimise barriers, improve reach, and strengthen women’s decision-making power. That’s why we’re excited to announce the expansion of our HowToUse chatbot Ally to WhatsApp, a tool that will help more women access the information they need to create opportunities for better lives.

On WhatsApp, the Ally bot has the potential to reach women on a device and application they frequently use and give them quick, tailored, and easy-to-understand information with safety and discretion.”

The chatbot, Ally, has had over 35,000 conversations with roughly 30,000 unique users from around the world through both the home site and Facebook messenger since March 2020.

“In the past five years, WFD platforms have had more than 13 million site visits with users from over 180 countries helping to reduce the rate of unsafe abortions and broaden contraceptive awareness. Ultimately, we work every day towards a world in which all women have access to sexual and reproductive health services that are safe, reliable and individually tailored,” concludes Gopalakrishnan.

Hey Jane virtual Clinic

Hey Jane offers ‘modern abortion care, without the clinic’ according to their website which looks similar to wellness sites. They are currently only operating in certain parts of the US such as New York or Illinois with their pills by post platform. Women who are pregnant up to ten weeks can log in, chat with a licensed provider through text or video depending on a person’s preferences and request an unmarked box of pills delivered at home.

The care does not stop with just the pills but creates a community where women can chat. Often abortion is not discussed due to stigma or religious beliefs or pressure, so the community can be crucial to women going through it alone.

The platform was created by the co-founders, Gaby Izarra and chief executive officer, Kiki Freedman. The company raised $2.2m in a funding round and saw its customer growth increase by 300 per cent between Q1 and Q2 of 2020. The founders believe that currently, abortion care is too difficult to access in terms of logistics, financial constraints, and from a stigma and emotional perspective.

Abortion pills by post

Covid changed a lot about the way that we approach healthcare including telemedicine and appointments over the phone. One way in which it changes the abortion care industry in the UK is that it made pills available for the first time by post by the NHS. Abortion law was amended in 2020 to allow women the right to take the pills at home during the lockdown.

However, Maggie Throup, the public health minister, confirmed on Thursday that women seeking to terminate a pregnancy by taking the two pills involved at home would lose that right at the end of August. However, Wales has announced it will make the move permanent citing the reduction in numbers accessing NHS care. Doctors, midwives, pro-choice groups and abortion providers in the UK have voiced opposition to this move requesting that the pills by post scheme be kept.

If this is introduced in August, tech may have even more of a part to play in helping women to access their options.

Read more: Why are femtech companies embracing the wellness industry?