Maternal Health FemTech: A qualitative exploration of how companies serve minoritized populations in the U.S. and what prevents them from doing more

Abstract

Background: The U.S. maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births. This ratio is the highest among high-income countries. Women of color (Black, Alaska Native, and American Indian women) disproportionally contribute to this statistic; they are 2 to 3 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications compared to white women and are more likely to be on Medicaid. This study focuses on FemTech’s (broadly defined as diagnostics, software, products, and services for women) role in maternal healthcare. The purpose of this research is to better understand how companies serve women of color and Medicaid recipients and the barriers that prevent them from doing more. Methods: Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted. Stakeholder categories included Medicaid representatives, FemTech startups, healthcare providers, healthcare consultants, and venture capitalists. All interviews consisted of approximately 6-8 open-ended questions and were analyzed through an emergent coding process focused on identifying interviewee themes. Results: This study found that startups mainly provided family planning offerings to women of color and/or Medicaid recipients during the prenatal and postpartum period. Key gaps that FemTech companies did not address include inaccessible pricing and lack of chronic condition management through primary care. These gaps are in line with broader FemTech trends. Conclusions: Until FemTech products and services address these gaps, they are unlikely to reduce maternal health disparities significantly.