In 2022, more than 2 million babies will die within 20 days of birth, equivalent to approximately 6,500 deaths every day, According to data from the World Health Organization.
On top of this, nearly 800 women died every day in 2020 from “preventable causes” during pregnancy or childbirth, a figure that was “unacceptably high”, World Health Organization says.
Singapore-based startup Biorithm hopes to help solve this problem with a device that women can use at home, with a connected mobile app that can transmit information such as the baby’s heart rate directly to clinicians for review.
“Women’s health (care) has always been about treating women who are sick, rather than keeping women healthy,” said Amrish Nair, chief technology officer and co-founder of Biorithm.
He was speaking on CNBC’s “CNBC Tech: The Verge.”
Biorithm’s device, Femom, which monitors the heart rate of pregnant women and fetuses, is designed to be simple and easy to use, using the woman’s belly button as a guide for accurate placement. It can be used during contractions to provide clinicians with necessary information for intervention.
Sihem Tedjar, director of product development at Biorithm, said monitoring takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
“It’s very easy to use for untrained people or non-healthcare professionals, and that’s where the usability and all the design work comes in,” Teddjar said. Femom’s five electrodes capture electrical signals from the abdominal surface and transmit the information to a dashboard that medical staff can access.
“This device answers a very basic question for all parents: How is my baby?” said Dr. Thiam Chye Tan, Biorithm’s entrepreneurial mentor.
‘The collapse of maternity care’
Nair says Publish on the web “Maternal care is collapsing” due to socioeconomic factors and a lack of monitoring technology.
In 2020, nearly 95% of maternal deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries, According to the World Health Organizationand released in 2016 through guide Increase the number of contacts pregnant women have with health care providers from four to eight.
According to forecasts, the global medical device market is expected to grow from US$542 billion in 2024 to US$887 billion in 2032 Fortune Business Insights. Biorithm was spun out of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, while Femom is in development for use in clinical research settings.
The Singapore government is investing in invest heavily in its health sector By 2023, Biorithm raises $3.5M in Series A funding From government agencies Enterprise Singapore and Adaptive Capital Partners. The funds will be used for Femom’s development and the company’s expansion in the United States and Southeast Asia.
“Women’s health has always faced a very tricky funding situation. It’s never been the hottest topic in medtech,” Nair told CNBC.
“We’ve had funds investing in us since early on, and now we’ve had female-led funds investing in us,” he said.
“We’re seeing an evolution in the funding landscape, which is really encouraging for women’s health. While there’s still a lot of work to be done, this is certainly a start,” Nair said.
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