Women’s health start-up launches with US$4.5m seed investment

A women’s health platform supporting OB-GYN practices has launched in the US, bagging a US$4m seed investment.

Iron Health, a “tech-enabled” platform that acts as a virtual extension of an OB-GYNs practice, will offer connectivity between primary and specialty care while assisting with coordinated care and virtual services.

The platform aims to provide patients with virtual visits, direct messaging and access to health professionals, including nurse practitioners, dieticians, clinical social workers and nurses.

Built with the help of Redesign Health and March of Dimes’ first Innovation Fund investment, the start-up seeks to address the fragmentation between OB-GYN, primary, specialty, behavioural, and wellness care in the US.

Growing concerns over OB-GYN capacity coupled with a post-Roe landscape have added new layers of complexity to how women access and manage their care.

Recent data indicate that the use of primary care continues to decline, with nearly 30 per cent of the female population reportedly without a primary care provider (PCP).

OB-GYNs are increasingly expected to serve as three-in-one providers, with nearly 50 per cent of OB-GYNs considering themselves PCPs, and 84 per cent prescribing anxiety and depression medicine to patients.

This stress on both providers and patients is only projected to grow with an expected shortfall of up to 22,000 OB-GYNs by 2050, research suggets.

“Women’s health providers and their patients are being left behind in the digital health evolution, with fragmentation and access challenges causing women to miss vital screenings, early interventions, and coordination of care,” said Stephanie Winans, CEO and founder.

“Iron Health partners with OB-GYNs to strengthen a woman’s healthcare experience, enabling access to the Women and quality care women need when they need it, within the traditional healthcare system – not outside it.”

Dr Elizabeth Cherot, senior vice president and chief medical and health officer of March of Dimes, said: “Women across the US are facing healthcare challenges unlike they’ve experienced in decades.

“Combined with the steadily increasing stress on OB-GYNs, we’re at a critical inflection point.

“We selected Iron Health as the first venture investment for the March of Dimes Innovation Fund because their unique value proposition for OB-GYNs and patients complements our mission to improve the health of moms and babies specifically in areas of chronic disease management and mental health.”

Iron Health is launching its services featuring a “click-and-mortar hybrid model” in direct partnership with OB-GYN practices and health care systems.