Issue #82 – Maternal Health

Happy FemTech Friday, 

We’re fashionably late today ! but I am so proud of Indians at the MET GALA because we were the ones who truly shined this year. I mean, let’s talk about the Mystery Woman who took the Met Gala by storm—a tech tycoon billionaire who runs like 8 companies —Mona Patel. 

My biggest takeaway? You do you, no apologies. Nobody understood the theme. No rules, just pure self-expression. It’s all about owning your style, your hustle, and your confidence. If you’re going to do something, do it with your own style, it’s all about you my friend.

On another note, Linkedin just surprised me and now I am “Top Voices’’  program, an invitation – only group of experts across various industries around the world and I’m stoked to represent and contribute to women’s health. Let’s go

• India’s Maternal Mortality Ratio is approximately 113 per 100,000 live births.
• 51% of pregnant women in India receive at least four antenatal care visits.
• 79% of births in India take place in a health facility, indicating an increase in institutional deliveries.
• 89% of births in India are attended by skilled health personnel, including doctors, nurses, and midwives.

India’s making moves with maternal health, but we still got work to do. Like, we’ve seen improvements in prenatal care and safe deliveries, we must continue to push for progress. 

So, here’s to all the moms out there—past, present, and future. You rock our world, always have, always will. Happy early Mother’s Day, 🌟 

We’re hosting a super stylish event to celebrate Mother’s Day, and I can’t wait to share all the deets next Friday.

Your Friends, 

Navneet

• Hyderabad-headquartered dialysis chain Nephroplus has raised Rs 850 crore ($102 million approximately) from healthcare-focused private equity firm Quadria Capital, which has acquired a significant minority stake in the company.

• Aardvark Therapeutics, Inc., a San Diego, CA-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, raised $85m in Series C financing. The round was led by Decheng Capital, with participation from Cormorant Asset Management.
• Zenas BioPharma, a Waltham, MA-based biopharmaceutical company developing inflammation and immunology-directed therapies, raised $200M in Series C funding.
• Commit Biologics, an Aarhusm, a Denmark-based company which specializes in activating the complement system to treat cancer and autoimmune disease, raised €16M in Seed funding.
• Nami Surgical, a Glasgow, Scotland, UK-based company which specializes in robotic-assisted surgery, raised $4M in investment and grant funding. Eos Advisory (Eos) led the seed $3.1M round alongside the Investment Fund for Scotland.

• A new, minimally invasive treatment that uses MRI-guided ultrasound can effectively treat prostate cancer, while reducing the risk of side effects, such as urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction associated with radiation and surgery, according to research presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Meeting.
  
  Women who take certain drugs that contain the hormone progestogen as a contraceptive or for other gynaecological issues are more likely to develop a type of brain tumour known as an intracranial meningioma, finds a French study published in The BMJ.
• Being sedentary or performing little activity in childhood is associated with heart enlargement, which progressed with an increase in time spent sitting or being inactive, according to new research.An excessive increase in heart mass and size, known as left ventricular hypetrophy, is a known risk factor for heart attacks, stroke and premature death in adults.
• Genetic defects underlie about a fourth of Chinese children affected by cerebral palsy, and not a lack of oxygen at birth as previously thought, new research has found. Cerebral palsy is a disorder affecting one’s ability to move. It is the most common motor disability in children, with symptoms emerging in infancy and early childhood.
• The Swiss-based start-up Aspivix has announced the first gynaecological procedures performed with its innovative cervical device in the US.The product, a suction-based cervical device known as Carevix, aims to reduce pain and bleeding during transcervical procedures.
• Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has announced that it was withdrawing Covid-19 vaccines, which it renamed Vaxzevria in 2021, worldwide. The company cited a “surplus of available updated vaccines” that target new variants of the virus as the reason for the move.
• A pregnancy app has launched in Hertfordshire, giving women instant access to their maternity records. The app proved a big hit, with nearly 8,000 women signing up to it in just 12 months.West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has launched the service to allow mums to access their medical notes throughout their pregnancy, birth and postnatal journey via a dedicated app.

• Newmi published an informative carousel on Ovarian Cancer and how to understand the risk factors and the need to take regular screening.
• PeeSafe released another episode of the Pee Room Conversation featuring Seema Anand and Sakshi Sindwani covering the theme of intimacy.
• Miyara is offering a super special Mother’s Day deal: Get 30% off on all expert-created, self-paced programs on their website. Just use the promo code MOTHERSDAY30 at checkout.

• Birla Fertility & IVF, one of India’s leading IVF networks, a part of the US$ 2.9 billion C K Birla Group, announced its acquisition of ARMC IVF Fertility Centre, marking the network’s entry into South India. Currently, Birla Fertility & IVF operates 30 centres and with this acquisition, it will expand its presence across Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, now operating a total of 37 centres across the country.
• Samsung Medison has signed an agreement to acquire 100 per cent of the shares of the French foetal ultrasound AI software company Sonio. Sonio has developed an “AI-powered” solution for obstetrics and gynaecology ultrasound that aims to assist medical professionals in the evaluation and documentation of ultrasound exams.
• The contraception app Natural Cycles has announced a campaign in partnership with Postpartum Support International (PSI) to raise awareness of maternal mental health problems.The collaboration aims to shine a spotlight on the maternal mental health crisis, encourage “meaningful” conversations and introduce necessary support provided by Natural Cycles and PSI.
• Wile, a startup specializing in women’s health supplements targeting perimenopause and midlife hormonal shifts, has been acquired by Nameless CPG, an Austin-based company. While specific financial terms were not disclosed, it was confirmed that investors in Wile would receive a stake in Nameless CPG as part of the acquisition.
• Women’s health focused medical device company Hologic has announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Endomag, a private company specializing in breast cancer surgery technologies, for approximately $310 million, subject to working capital and other customary closing adjustments.

• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has announced an invitation for Expression of Interest (EoI) from experienced Indian agencies for the transfer of technology related to the “Human anti-measles IgM ELISA assay for detection of anti-measles IgM antibodies in human serum.
• IIHMR University’s healthcare-focused IIHMR start-ups, a prominent unit of IIHMR Foundation based out of Jaipur, recently launched Saamarthya 2.O, “An Exclusive Growth Incubation Programme” to support start-ups in the post-MVP or revenue-generating phase to accelerate their growth trajectory.

Preliminary studies suggest ashwagandha reduces anxiety, enhances performance, and offers various benefits, but larger trials are needed for confirmation. 

When selecting a supplement, opt for root powder or extract with specific withanolide content. Recommended daily doses range from 1,000 mg to 6,000 mg for root powder and 500 mg to 1,500 mg for extracts, ensuring at least 6 mg of withanolides. ConsumerLab’s tests revealed varying withanolide levels in products, with price not indicating quality. Approved supplements offer consistent dosages and value. Ashwagandha is generally safe but may cause rare side effects like headaches and gastrointestinal issues. Pregnant or nursing women should avoid it.

🎉Have news to share? Publish a press release on FemTech India to reach industry-leading executives, investors, and passionate individuals.

See you next Friday Friends

[Sign up here to never miss on the latest updates.]