April 3, 2022
THIS WEEK IN HUMAN RIGHTS NEWS
Global access to reproductive health care is gaining traction with technology
Sources: Nikkei Asia, Rand, Prospect Magazine
A specific branch of technology, “femtech”, is aiming to provide greater access to reproductive health care around the world, as described by an article from Nikkei Asia.
“Femtech” aims to fill gaps in traditional health care by providing apps for period and fertility tracking, sexual wellness, and menopause care, to name a few.
In most parts of the world, traditional health care sidelines reproductive health care as niche, especially in regions where reproductive aspects like menstruation are stigmatised. Reproductive health is also underfunded in research, which produces a continuation of gender inequality in health care.
Technology has been able to produce tailored solutions to some reproductive care issues. For example, Nikkei Asia reported that reusable sanitary towels with special antimicrobial fabric can ensure that towels can be washed in any kind of water without risking infection.
For femtech in particular, Nikkei Asia described examples of femtech across Asia. One app called Oky was designed to help teach girls about periods and is available in English, Bengali, Hindi, Bahasa and Mongolian. Another app in Vietnam, Momby, aims to provide accurate pregnancy information in Vietnamese to both expectant mothers and fathers. The app also includes specific content designed with fathers in mind, to help them understand how to support their partners through issues such as perinatal depression.
A barrier to femtech’s benefits is the gender disparity in access to digital services. The technology also cannot fully replace traditional health care systems such as doctors and hospitals. Other challenges include regulation, data privacy, and age-old questions over ethics in medical technology.
In an article for Prospect Magazine, Dr. Pragya Agarwal wrote on the nuance of femtech for reproductive rights. “Advancements in women’s health are long overdue,” she wrote, “But if we want to truly close the gender health gap, we need to increase representation […] We need more inclusivity in the design of these technologies, taking into account the variability and diversity of people who are using them.”