In the age of rapid advancements in healthcare and treatments for all manner of ailments, women’s health has been relatively overlooked as we’re routinely told to “just deal with it”. However, the rise in FemTech is, thankfully, radically changing how we respond and view female reproductive health.
What is FemTech?
FemTech, or female technology, is an umbrella term to encompass all manner of technologies which cater to improving the lives of women by offering female-centric solutions to age-old problems. The concept was created in 2016 by Danish entrepreneur Ida Tin who founded the period tracking app, Clue.
Included under the term FemTech are the likes of savvy period products which offer tailored solutions to make pain more manageable in a natural way. There are also a whole host of digital FemTech products such as hormone tracking apps dedicated to helping us learn why we face certain physical and emotional experiences during our menstrual cycle and how these can be alleviated by monitoring factors such as diet and exercise.
Dealing with tricky menstrual and reproductive cycles
It can be difficult to keep tabs on all the hormonal changes our bodies go through in a day, let alone across an entire menstrual cycle. As a sufferer of heavy periods with cramps that can be debilitating, I know too well the pain of hobbling to the kettle to fill up a hot water bottle whilst counting down the seconds until you can next take painkillers.
Although we have been conditioned to normalise feeling poorly around our time of the month, obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr Penelope Law, told us that “it’s important to be in tune with your body throughout your entire menstrual cycle so you can understand how your emotional and physical health changes. Knowing that emotional responses towards something may be triggered due to a change in hormones means you are likely to be kinder on yourself and this can help improve your mental health”.
Dr Law also recommends that women should be open and clear with medical professionals about what they are experiencing as “even though it is common for women to experience painful or irregular periods, it is not normal. It is better to treat and discuss these problems early instead of letting them go undiagnosed”.
We’ve rounded up the best products on the market to help you feel at one with your body, no matter what it’s putting you through.
Bellabeat Leaf Womens Urban Wellness Health Tracker/ Smart Jewellery
Best for: Tracking your daily health
Whilst on the surface this product appears to be a beautifully designed piece of jewellery, it doubles up as a tracking device which monitors various aspects of daily life such as your activity, sleep patterns and reproductive health.
Its unique algorithm makes this health tracker stand out from the crowd as it is optimised for women’s health and provides greater accuracy and personalised recommendations. Based on the information it gathers, it can predict your period, fertility windows and anticipate stress levels, which can all be accessed on the Bellabeat app. The device comes in five different colours and can be worn as a necklace, bracelet or clip. Its long lasting battery, of up to 6 months, means you don’t have to worry about regularly charging it.
Buy now £77.10, Amazon
Ava Fertility
Best for: Getting pregnant
As the only FDA-cleared fertility tracking bracelet, Ava Fertility helps increase your chances of pregnancy by identifying five out of your six most fertile days. The sensor in the bracelet works overnight to gather continuous data and physiological signals that detect shifts in hormone levels. Once synced to the app in the morning your results will be instantly available to access meaning there is no waiting around.
Buy now £249.00, Ava Women
Aroma Season Electric Menstrual Heating Pad
Best for: Discreet cramp relief
This cordless electric heating pad is the modern day response to the hot water bottle. The pad comes with a charger, and once fully charged can last up to six hours. Its three different heat settings ranging from 40 to 60 degrees, means it is great for even the most painful of period days.
The heated pad can be placed on either the stomach or lower back depending on the area of pain and its thin design allows it to be worn discreetly during the day underneath your clothes without showing or interrupting your movements.
Buy now £32.99, Amazon
Beurer EM50 Menstrual Relax
Beurer’s TENS Menstrual Relax EM50 is a great midpoint if you’re looking for more general pain relief without strapping an entire device around your body. Sleek and discreet, this device provides natural relief from menstrual and endometriosis pain with 15 TENS intensity levels and a heavy dose of soothing warmth.
The EM50 works to stop pain signals and relax the muscles and can also be charged by USB, so great for bringing along on weekends away without fiddling around with endless cables. A popular choice for endometriosis sufferers, it ticks all the boxes for straightforward and fuss-free pain relief.
Buy now £60.00, Argos
Hyperice Venom 2 Back
Hyperice products are usually reserved for gym bunnies who struggle with aching muscles post heavy workout. But the Venom 2 Back is a secret weapon when it comes to alleviating period pain, too. Known as the most advanced heat and massage wrap on the market, it heats up six times faster than a standard heating pad and provides instant, soothing relief to sore muscles or a cramp-y stomach.
Sure, this heat pad is a little larger than you’d probably want to wear out the house. But if you’re stuck at home struggling with pain, it’s like wrapping a giant hot water bottle around your stomach and back: bliss.
Buy now £269.00, Hyperice
Noha
Best for: Period pain management
Similar to Livia, Noha provides great relief to those suffering with period pains. It comes with two gel pads which can be affixed to the area of pain. The science behind the product is that Noha works through pulse therapy, also known as Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, which sends small vibrations through your body that interrupt pain signals and stops them travelling to the brain.
Noha has 14 levels of intensity and, depending on the setting it’s used at, has a battery life of between 5-12 hours. With a simple and discreet look and feel, the product can be worn underneath normal clothes and provides no restrictions to daily life.
Buy now £119.00, Ovira
Breathe ilo Cycle Tracker
Best for: Tracking your most fertile days
Want to hear something crazy? You can now find out your most fertile days by simply breathing for a minute. It works by monitoring your CO2 levels which drop a few days before ovulation occurs. So by breathing into this nifty handheld device, your CO2 level will be recorded and synced up to an app which will accurately show you your daily fertility status. Breathe ilo recommends itself to those looking to get pregnant and advertises an average of three months until successful conception.
The Breathe ilo app is also noteworthy as it offers access to plenty of information on women’s health so you can learn more about your body and fertility.
Buy now £259.00, Breathe ilo
Livia Kit
Best for: Discreet period relief
Prepare to ditch the paracetamol because the medically-designed Livia device is designed to provide instant, drug-free relief to pesky cramps in your abdomen and lower back. Livia is a small square device that easily clips onto a waistband and each comes with two compression pads which are applied to the desired part of the body using the provided sticky gel.
Its patented SmartWave technology uses electronic micro-pulses to reduce the feeling of period pains. In fact, Livia boasts claims of reducing pain within a mere 30-60 seconds. It comes in four different, but equally bright, colours which will be sure to brighten up even the most painful and tiresome of period days.
Buy now £99.99, Amazon
Looncup
Best for: Understanding your periods
The mooncup, the marmite of period products. Whether you love it or hate it, Looncup is here to revolutionise your periods as it can assess the quality of your menstrual blood to predict health issues or disease. This period gadget syncs up to your phone via bluetooth whilst you’re wearing it and can track information such as your menstruation cycle, colour and volume as well as your body temperature. Real time results are easy to view on Looncup app.
Most importantly, in our opinion, it also tracks how full your Looncup is by sending you a notification to your phone when it is 50% and 75% full; so gone are the days of worrying whether your period product of choice is overflowing!
The looncup is yet to be released in the UK but can be pre-ordered.
Buy now, Looncup
Tuune
Best for: Finding out about birth control
Learning about your hormonal balance and how your body reacts to certain situations during your monthly cycle is vital, yet often overlooked. Tuune allows users to take a free, extensive online questionnaire which touches upon topics such as your birth control, medical history and mental health. Once completed, a member of their medical team will look over your results and within two business days you will receive an email with a list of birth control recommendations personalised to your situation.
Tuune also offers home hormone test kits so you can get to know your hormonal balance better. Each recipient of a test kit is assigned a hormone scientist who will talk through the results via video call.
Buy now, Tuune
