News
The rising stars of pregnancy apps
One of the fastest growth drivers in feminine health technology is apps. From period-tracking to women’s fitness, online nannies and menopause support, femtech apps are bringing their A-game. The biggest players? Pregnancy apps. With 385,000 babies born every day, pregnancy is big business. Those kinds of figures are hard to ignore and the tech industry is listening.
Engaging with pregnancy apps is becoming a routine part of the maternal experience. There are hundreds of options available, from simple growth trackers to medical advisors, social communities and the answers to any question you could ever think of.
BabyCentre is one of the most popular. It is an award-winning platform with millions of unique users and is, according to Forbes, the best pregnancy tracking app out there.
The user not only gets 3D renderings of their baby’s development in the womb but also access to a social network connected to other expectant women, along with a whole host of related information and resources.
It is available in five languages and any health information is approved by its own Medical Advisory Board and certified by the NHS England Information Standard.
Trackers like BabyCentre make up the bulk of the app market, but they are just one of the options available.
Pregnancy and motherhood can be lonely, so having a group of people to offer support often makes a big difference.
That’s the idea behind Peanut, otherwise known as the Tinder for expectant mothers, which comes in at a respectable number nine on the GoodHousekeeping list of the 18 best pregnancy apps. Peanut enables users to connect with people in the same area who are also going through similar circumstances, be that pregnancy, menopause or motherhood.
It has thousands of users across the globe and Founder and CEO Michelle Kennedy believes they must ensure no woman has to figure it out on their own.
Expectful is another big name on the circuit. The app aims to be a one-stop-shop for affordable, accessible and enjoyable maternal wellness support and boasts specialists in lactation, sleep, nutrition, mental health and fertility.
Within the app are meditations, events such as fitness classes and live Q&As, and drop-in support groups. The app is another of those featured on Good Housekeeping’s 18 best pregnancy apps.
What To Expect hits the top-rated lists for a few publications, including Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, and Forbes. It is a very popular app that not only offers a weekly pregnancy tracker but also supports users in the first year of parenthood and beyond.
It advises on products, such as car seats and pushchairs, where it links community reviews and puts them into ‘best of’ lists. Ever wondered where the ’16 weeks, the size of a cherry’ comparison comes from? You can thank What To Expect for that.
With Glow, both the user and their partner can use the app to track the pregnancy together.
There are birth stories, bump pictures and product reviews via the community, as well as appointment reminders, and pregnancy stats.
It also links with Apple Health and My Fitness Pal for full integration.
Also highly rated and providing very similar services are the likes of Sprout, Ovia, Hello Belly and The Bump.
Ultimately, the app a user chooses comes down to personal preference, whether that be the services it provides, the interface or content type.
Why are they so popular?
Pregnancy is a complex time. It brings excitement and fear bundled together with babygrows, nurseries and week-by-week fruit comparisons – and it is a multi-million-pound industry.
And while questions may be raised over marketing to women at a uniquely vulnerable time of their lives, the fact remains that knowledge is power – and that’s what pregnancy apps are sharing.
The breadth and depth of support pregnancy apps offer blow traditional healthcare out of the water. Most are either free with ads or have a subscription fee, which is a small price to pay for access to an extensive support network on demand.
With an ever-increasing user base, apps have the potential to change maternal care and experiences of pregnancy for the better.
Given their popularity and the rising number of users, there is a very real potential for traditional healthcare to adopt or recommend apps into routine care. Bridging the gap between technology and health information would have an enormous impact on the provision of healthcare.
For some users, apps may be more accessible than traditional healthcare. For others, they may provide a community of people going through the same experience. And for others, they can offer answers to questions they may have.
Osteoporosis may raise the risk of death in postmenopausal women by up to 47 per cent, a new study suggests.
The findings point to an inverse relationship between femoral bone mineral density and mortality risk, especially within certain ranges.
Femoral bone mineral density is the amount of mineral in the thigh bone, which is often measured to assess bone strength and osteoporosis risk.
Dr Monica Christmas is associate medical director for The Menopause Society.
She said: “Osteoporosis often remains a silent threat after menopause, despite its profound effect on women’s lives—from loss of height, poor balance, and reduced mobility to disfigurement, pain, and even premature death.
“Early screening and preventive measures, including a calcium-rich diet (preferably from food sources), regular weight-bearing exercise, and hormone therapy when appropriate, can significantly improve bone health and reduce risks not only of fractures but also cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and dementia.
“It’s time we bring this conversation to the forefront.”
In the study involving nearly 3,000 postmenopausal women, bone mineral density at four femoral sites was assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, a scan commonly used to measure bone strength and fracture risk.
The analysis found that mortality risk was significantly higher when femoral bone mineral density reached the osteoporotic threshold or when osteoporotic fractures were present.
After full adjustment, osteoporosis was associated with a 47 per cent increased risk of mortality.
A stronger inverse association between increased bone mineral density and mortality risk was seen within specific ranges, suggesting bone mineral density could serve as a prognostic marker of wider health.
The relationship appeared especially notable within the range of 0.46 to 0.71 g/cm² for total femur bone mineral density.
Previous research has shown that postmenopausal women face a significantly higher risk of death within one year of hip or vertebral fractures.
After more than a decade of campaigning, doctors around the world have agreed to rename polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
It is hoped the new name, polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or PMOS, will help end the misconception that the condition is all about cysts, which campaigners say has contributed to missed diagnoses and inadequate treatment.
The condition affects one in eight women, or 3.1m women and girls in the UK, and is linked to hormone fluctuations that can affect weight, mental health, skin and the reproductive system.
The renaming was spearheaded by UK patient charity Verity alongside Professor Helena Teede, director of Melbourne’s Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation.
It followed 14 years of consultation with clinicians and patients around the world.
The new name was published in a consensus statement on May 12 and announced at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Prague.
The paper states that PCOS should now be referred to as PMOS.
“This is a landmark moment that will lead to desperately-needed worldwide advancements in clinical practice and research,” said Professor Teede.
“It was heart-breaking to see the delayed diagnosis, limited awareness and inadequate care afforded those affected by this neglected condition.”
When doctors first named PCOS in 1935, they thought it was mainly caused by physical changes to the ovaries.
Decades of research have since changed that understanding, with clinicians now agreeing the condition is far more complex.
“What we now know is that there is actually no increase in abnormal cysts on the ovary and the diverse features of the condition were often unappreciated,” Professor Teede added.
“A name change was the next critical step towards recognition and improvement in the long term impacts of this condition.”
The exact cause of the condition is still unknown, though it is thought to be linked to abnormal hormone levels and is associated with insulin resistance and raised levels of testosterone and luteinising hormone.
Insulin resistance means the body does not respond properly to insulin, the hormone that helps control blood sugar. Luteinising hormone helps regulate ovulation.
Common symptoms listed by the NHS include irregular periods or no periods at all, difficulty getting pregnant, excessive hair growth, weight gain, thinning hair, oily skin and acne.
Campaigners have acknowledged that the name change could cause temporary confusion.
“Despite decades of tireless advocacy to improve awareness, we recognised that the risk of change would be worth the reward,” said Rachel Morman, chairwoman of Verity.
“This shift will reframe the conversation and demand that it is taken as seriously as the long-term, complex health condition it is.”
It is also unclear if, or when, the NHS will change the language it uses.
An NHS England spokesperson said: “We routinely review and update content on the NHS website to ensure it reflects the latest clinical advice and will carefully consider these recommendations.
“The NHS will also continue our work to improve women’s healthcare, including for this important group, which involves giving women more choice over their care, bringing down waiting times, and delivering more care in communities.”
Housing, work and fertility pressures are stopping many Britons growing the families they want, new research suggests.
A UK fertility report found that 79 per cent of people surveyed who had tried to conceive in the past five years would like more children than they currently have.
Among parents with one child, that figure rises to 88 per cent.
The report surveyed more than 1,000 people across the UK who had tried for a baby in the past five years.
While birth rates continue to fall, the findings suggest it is not because people no longer want children. Instead, many respondents said external pressures are making it harder to grow their families.
The findings, from wellness brand Wild Nutrition’s Fertility Disconnect report, highlight how financial pressures, fertility struggles and gaps in reproductive health knowledge are shaping modern family life in the UK.
Gail Madalena, fertility nutritional therapist at Wild Nutrition, said: “People often assume fertility begins the moment they decide to try [for a baby].
“In reality, egg and sperm health are shaped months and years earlier.
“By the time someone starts thinking about fertility, their body has already been responding to its environment for a long time.”
Among the biggest barriers, 26 per cent said career progression affected their family plans, 25 per cent cited housing affordability and lack of space, and 52 per cent said they required medical intervention during their fertility journey.
The report also found that almost a quarter of respondents had spent more than two years trying to conceive.
Trying for a baby can take a significant toll on mental health and relationships, especially for those navigating fertility treatment.
According to the research, 38 per cent of respondents said trying to conceive had negatively affected their mental health. That figure rose to 99 per cent among people undergoing fertility treatment.
Julianne Boutaleb is a perinatal psychologist.
She said: “Navigating a fertility journey is about so much more than medical appointments and procedures.
“It’s an emotional marathon that can take a huge toll on your mental wellbeing.
“Sadly, the stats show that 15 per cent of couples going through fertility treatment say their relationship has been irrevocably impaired.”
The report also highlighted the realities of secondary infertility, which affects around one in 20 people, challenging the assumption that having one child means conceiving again will be straightforward.
Researchers found many people felt under-informed about fertility, particularly younger adults.
Ten per cent of Gen Z respondents said they “know nothing” about fertility, while only one in five respondents said they know “a lot” about egg health.
The report also found that 60 per cent of women were unaware of fertility testing options, and one in five Gen Z respondents said they felt uncomfortable discussing fertility, even with their partner.
Around 40 per cent of those surveyed supported fertility education being included in schools, covering topics such as egg health, sperm health and hormonal health.
The report also explored how lifestyle and long-term health may influence fertility outcomes.
Many respondents said they only made changes once they started trying to conceive.
Some 44 per cent improved their diet when trying for a baby, while 32 per cent reduced alcohol intake at that stage.
The report also referenced emerging research that suggests ultra-processed foods and microplastics could have an impact on reproductive health.
While fertility conversations often focus on women, the findings showed male fertility issues are also affecting many families.
Seventeen per cent of respondents cited sperm health issues as a barrier to conception, while male factors contribute to around half of all fertility challenges.
Only one in four men said they would share fertility struggles with friends.
“Many causes of male infertility are entirely treatable yet so often the last resort is the first response,” said Ian Stones, co-founder at Test Him Ltd.
The findings come as UK birth rates remain below replacement level.
The report noted that the UK fertility rate is now 1.41, meaning that on average women give birth to 1.41 children over their lifetimes. The replacement rate, or rate that maintains population numbers, is 2.1.
It also said the average age of mothers has risen to 31, while birth rates are falling across most age groups except among over-40s.
“There is no single fertility story, and it is rarely a simple, linear narrative,” said Dr Zeynep Gurtin, lecturer in women’s health at UCL.
Dr Gurtin added that better fertility education, fairer access to treatment and more open conversations around infertility and pregnancy loss are needed.
Entrepreneur3 weeks agoFuture Fertility raises Series A financing to scale AI tools redefining fertility care worldwide
News2 weeks agoWomen’s digital health market set to reach US$5.28 billion in 2026 – report
Fertility4 weeks agoFuture Fertility partners with Japan’s leading IVF provider, Kato Ladies Clinic
Diagnosis3 weeks agoNew meta-analysis further supports low re-excisions and high placement accuracy with the Magseed marker
Menopause4 weeks agoMore research needed to understand link between brain fog and menopause, expert says
Mental health3 weeks agoLifting weights shows mental health and cognitive benefits in older women, study finds
Entrepreneur4 weeks agoFlora Fertility closes US$5m seed round
News3 weeks agoResistance training has preventative effects in menopause, study finds
5 Comments