According to the World Health Organization, more than 2 million babies died in the first 20 days of their lives in 2022, equivalent to around 6,500 deaths per day.
In addition, almost 800 women died every day from “avoidable causes” during pregnancy or childbirth in 2020, an “unacceptably high” number, says the WHO.
Biorithm, a Singapore-based startup, hopes to help solve the problem with a device that women can use at home to monitor their pregnancy, while a connected mobile app transmits information such as the baby's heart rate directly to doctors for verification. revision.
“Women's health [care] “has been geared toward treating women who are sick and not keeping them healthy,” said Amrish Nair, CTO and co-founder of Biorithm.
“We're trying to provide technology that puts power back into women's hands… It's no longer about hospitals, it's now empowering women so they can receive care wherever they choose,” she said, speaking to ” CNBC Tech:” from CNBC. The Edge.”
Biorithm's device, Femom, monitors maternal and fetal heart rates and is designed to be easy to use, using the woman's belly button as a guide for precise placement. It can be used during contractions, providing information to doctors to make interventions when necessary.
Monitoring takes between 20 and 30 minutes, according to Sihem Tedjar, product development leader at Biorithm.
“It's very easy to use for an untrained person or a non-healthcare professional, and that's where the usability and all the design work lies,” Tedjar said. Femom's five electrodes capture electrical signals on the surface of the abdomen and transmit information to a dashboard that can be accessed by medical staff.
“This device responds[s] a very basic question every parent asks: how well is my baby doing?” said Dr. Thiam Chye Tan, startup mentor at Biorithm.
A 'collapse of maternal care'
Nair said in an online statement that there has been a “collapse of maternal care” due to socio-economic factors and lack of monitoring technology.
Nearly 95% of maternal deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries in 2020, according to the WHO, and in 2016 it attempted to improve prenatal care and reduce the risk of pregnancy complications by issuing guidance to increase a pregnant woman's number of contacts. . The woman has four to eight health care providers.
The global medical device market is projected to grow from $542 billion in 2024 to $887 billion in 2032, according to Fortune Business Insights. Biorithm emerged from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and Femom is in development and used in clinical research settings.
The Singapore government is investing heavily in its healthcare sector, and in 2023, Biorithm raised $3.5 million in Series A funding from government agency Enterprise Singapore and Adaptive Capital Partners. The financing will be used for the development of Femom and for the company's expansion in the US and Southeast Asia.
“Women's health has always faced a very difficult funding situation. It has never been the hottest topic in medical technology,” Nair told CNBC.
“From the beginning we had funds that invested in us and now funds run by women that invested in us,” she said.
“We see the funding landscape evolving, and it's been really encouraging for women's health. While a lot more needs to be done, it's certainly a start,” Nair said.
