KBHC Panel Spotlight - From Conception to Care: Women’s Health, Fertility, and Maternal Wellness

Once considered a “niche” market, Women’s Health is growing at a rapid pace as interest, innovation,  and investment in this space have accelerated over the last decade. Specifically, fertility (encompassing fertility planning, egg freezing, in vitro fertilization) and maternal health (spanning prenatal care, pregnancy care, and postpartum care) are gaining attention and traction across key sub-sectors: digital health and service offerings, patient education, medical devices, biopharma, and benefit offerings.

Venture-backed Women’s Health companies raised an estimated $1.14B of capital in 2023, with an average deal size of $10.4M, according to Forbes. While the overall figure is down from 2021, reflecting the overall market trends, average deal size is up. SVB reports a three-fold increase in VC-investments in Women’s Health over the last five years. FemTech, a subset of Women’s Health, is estimated to be a $1T market by 2027. Over 75% of women’s health start-ups were founded by women. And as of 2023, over half of US-based employers now offer fertility benefits.

Yet despite the growing interest in the space, there is an urgent need for further investment and innovation.

Infertility affects 1 in 5 women in the US and 1 in 6 women globally. Additionally, the US has seen a concerning rise in maternal mortality, especially among women of color, that warrants immediate intervention. Underlying these worrying trends is a historic lack of investment in research on women’s health topics such as menopause, and a lack of inclusion of women in research and clinical trials across health conditions more broadly. In response, the Biden Administration rolled out the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research in November of 2023.

We are excited to host a Panel Discussion on this important topic during this year’s Kellogg Business of Healthcare Conference, From Conception to Care: Women’s Health, Fertility, and Maternal Wellness.

We have gathered a group of expert panelists spanning digital health entrepreneurship, pharmaceuticals, benefits providers, and healthcare providers:

·       Dr. Asima Ahmad – Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Carrot Fertility

·       Joy Lewin – Senior Director of Global Marketing in Reproductive Health, Ferring Pharmaceuticals

·       Dana Sun – Principal, Laerdal Million Lives Fund

·       Dr. Shikha Jain – CEO and Founder, IMPACT; Founder and President, Women in Medicine; and Tenured Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Illinois in Chicago

·       Nancy Vick – Partner & Senior Health Consultant, Mercer

We look forward to exploring key trends driving the fertility and maternal health landscape; understanding current and future potential solutions and challenges and their potential impacts across industry sub-sectors; and previewing where the industry is headed in the future. We hope you join us!