More than 2 million babies died in the first 20 days of their lives in 2022, equating to around 6,500 deaths a day, according to the World Health Organization.
On top of that, almost 800 women a day died from “preventable causes” in pregnancy or childbirth in 2020, an “unacceptably high” figure, the WHO says.
A Singapore-based startup, Biorithm, 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 clinicians for review.
“Women’s health [care] has been geared towards treating women who are sick and not keeping women well,” said Amrish Nair, Biorithm’s chief technology officer and co-founder.
“We’re trying to provide technology that puts power back into women’s hands … It’s no longer in hospital, but now empowering women to be able to receive care in the place of their choosing,” he said, speaking to CNBC’s “CNBC Tech: The Edge.“
Biorithm’s device, Femom, monitors both the maternal and fetal heart rate, and is designed to be simple to use, with the woman’s navel used as a guide for accurate placement. It can be used during contractions, providing information to clinicians for interventions where necessary.
Monitoring takes about 20 to 30 minutes, according to Sihem Tedjar, Biorithm’s product development lead.
“It’s very easy to use for a non trained person or a non-health care professional, and that’s where the usability and all the design work reside,” Tedjar said. Femom’s five electrodes capture electrical signals at the surface of the abdomen and transmit information to a dashboard, accessible by medical staff.
“This device answer[s] a very basic question of all parents: how well is my baby?” said Dr Thiam Chye Tan, a startup mentor at Biorithm.
A ‘collapse of maternal care’
Nair said in an online release that there has been a “collapse of maternal care” due to socio-economic factors and a lack of monitoring technology.
Almost 95% of maternal deaths occurred in lower- and middle-income countries in 2020, according to the WHO, and in 2016 it tried to improve antenatal care and reduce the risk of pregnancy complications by issuing guidance to increase the number of contacts a pregnant woman has with health-care providers from four to eight.
The global market for medical devices is projected to grow from $542 billion in 2024 to $887 billion by 2032, according to Fortune Business Insights. Biorithm was spun off from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and Femom is in development, being used in clinical research settings.
The Singapore government is investing heavily in its health sector and in 2023, Biorithm raised $3.5 million in Series A funding from government agency Enterprise Singapore and Adaptive Capital Partners. The funding is being used for the development of Femom and for the company’s expansion in the U.S. and Southeast Asia.
“Women’s health has always faced a very tricky funding situation. It’s never been the hottest topic in medical technology,” Nair told CNBC.
“From very early on, we got funds who have invested in us, and now funds who are led by women who have invested in us,” he said.
“We see the evolution of the funding landscape, and it’s really been encouraging for women’s health. Although a lot more needs to be done, it’s certainly a start,” Nair said.