The women’s health space has long focused on reproductive care. Although this is an important area, the industry is leaving out a large segment of women whose health needs go far beyond fertility and pregnancy, says a health technology executive.
“[About] 90% of women are outside the active stage of family construction. So when we only talk about reproductive health, we only focus on 10% of the population, 10% of women. The 90% also need resources and they also need focus,” said Chevon Rariy, MD, director of clinical innovation at women’s health company Visana.
Rariy made these comments during an interview last week at the HLTH conference in Las Vegas. Visana, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, serves payers and employers and treats women with a variety of conditions, including menopause, endometriosis, fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome, contraception, urinary tract infections and other conditions.
Some examples of often overlooked areas in women’s health are cardiovascular disease and cardiometabolic health, Rariy said. She noted that about one in three women has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid problems or endometriosis. About 30% of women have insulin resistance and about 40% of women in the United States are obese.
“The economics are enormous, and the subsequent impact on health is equally concerning. From an economic standpoint, we’ve spent $175 billion on obesity in the United States… For PCOS, it’s about $15 billion,” he said. “So it’s a huge amount that we won’t talk about if we’re just talking about reproductive health.”
Visana has been expanding its cardiometabolic support following its recent $24 million Series A raise. Rariy said the company decided to move into this space after recognizing a need among its patients. The company’s initial focus was on gynecological issues such as fibroids and heavy menstrual bleeding. But the company found that many women have interrelated problems. For example, a patient struggling with endometriosis could have a hormonal disruption, such as a thyroid problem, that is affecting her bleeding.
There are several companies that offer support for cardiometabolic health. However, they don’t always focus on women, which is why Visana decided to create its own services in the space instead of partnering with other companies.
“What we have recognized is that there are certain issues unique to women that are often overlooked… So in a woman with PCOS, the very nature of her hormonal underpinnings or the hormonal condition of PCOS affects her weight, it affects the way her weight is managed… and all of these things need to be taken into account,” Rariy said.
She added that the company hopes to continue expanding its support for women, such as behavioral health and home testing for sexually transmitted diseases.
Other women’s health companies include Tia Health and Maven Clinic.
Photo: asnidamarwani, Getty Images
