Bridging Gaps in Women’s Health: Flo at the Forefront of Femtech Innovation

For International Women’s Day this year, we were delighted to participate at the ‘DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality’ conference hosted by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) in London. This innovative event brought together hundreds of OB-GYNs, physicians, health sector professionals, and tech innovators both virtually and in person at RCOG’s offices.

During the day, an inspiring line-up of speakers delivered thought-provoking panel discussions and presentations, all with a focus on the intersection of innovation, technology, and gender equality. Ultimately, the event was a celebration of technology: how it is currently transforming female health and the ways in which digital solutions can empower women globally.

The best bit? Flo was invited to deliver a session, giving us the opportunity to showcase how we support millions of women around the world as part of our mission to build a better future for female health. 

Reflecting on the day, we sat down with our very own Dr. Claudia Pastides, Flo’s Director of Medical Accuracy, alongside fellow colleague Gemma Hyland, Flo’s Senior Digital Marketing & Partnerships Manager, who were both in attendance. (And who brought with them a selection of Flo goodies, including women’s health pins, which were a hit with other attendees!)

For Claudia, the event was truly inspiring: especially as she got to deliver Flo’s presentation. “I always dreamed of being an obstetrician and gynecologist,” she says, “so when I had the chance to not only visit RCOG but also to talk about Flo’s women’s health research to the audience – I was over the moon!” Claudia delivered an insightful session, called “Bridging Gaps in Women’s Health: The Transformative Power of Femtech Data”. As Claudia’s title suggests, the presentation highlighted the benefits of Flo’s patient-generated data, which includes millions of women logging their cycles and symptoms on the app. In turn, this data can streamline initial history-taking in appointments and allow clinicians to make more informed decisions, enhancing patient care with personalized health strategies.

Gemma, meanwhile, describes how the “event provided the perfect platform for us to showcase the vital role that technology and innovation can play in transforming women’s healthcare globally”. At the meeting, she got the chance to speak with OB-GYNs, healthcare professionals, and industry leaders. These conversations, she says, allowed her to show the advantages of using Flo, including how it empowers women to take control of their reproductive health. “Through these discussions, I was able to highlight how our platform can enhance patient care and streamline health management for both patients and providers alike,” she adds.

What were the highlights of the event? For Claudia, it’s no surprise that getting to deliver a presentation was a memorable moment in her career. She adds: “Besides being incredibly happy to be in the RCOG offices, and to stand before their amazing faculty of practicing obstetricians and gynecologists, I really enjoyed sharing Flo’s research and seeing the reactions of the audience!” 

Claudia presented Flo’s own data, including a groundbreaking new study about menstrual cycle patterns and symptoms, which was recently published by the scientific journal Scientific Reports, part of the prestigious Nature Portfolio publishing group.

Claudia explains the importance of presenting this research:

“The study had over 19 million members of the Flo community in it, aged between 18 and 55, making it the largest study of its kind! Because most studies out there have only included women up to the age of 45, I was able to share really interesting information about cycles, periods, and symptoms of women beyond this age, which even surprised some members of the audience.”

Gemma speaks to how the event was a collaborative experience for all involved. “The insightful discussions with OB-GYNs and other professionals were incredibly valuable, as they provided a deeper understanding of their needs and challenges in women’s health,” she explains. “I especially appreciated how the event took a holistic approach, focusing on how technology can drive real improvements in women’s healthcare.”

Claudia and Gemma both – “Absolutely!”, they say in unison – recommend RCOG and its events to others in the field of OB-GYNS. “The topics discussed were highly relevant to everyday practice,” says Gemma of her experience attending the conference. “It’s essential for healthcare providers to continually seek new ways to support their patients and improve outcomes.” Better still, Gemma is looking forward to continuing Flo’s collaboration with RCOG, including the possibility of participating at future events.

On her part, Claudia says found it “interesting to see how much RCOG is involved in tackling issues and driving improvements in women’s healthcare worldwide.” Her favorite part of the day? That’s easy: she felt so welcomed. “Attendees were genuinely interested to learn more about Flo, the medical input behind it and how we create and contribute to women’s health research,” she explains. “I left the event feeling inspired.”

Ultimately, RCOG’s event provided a brilliant opportunity for Flo colleagues to demonstrate why we are the world’s most popular female health app – and what we can offer to both patients and OB-GYNs. 

As Claudia concludes: 

“The future – and even the present – of women’s health includes health tech and digital health solutions, to educate, support and empower women about their health. Flo already plays a huge part in hundreds of millions of lives of women and people who have periods all around the world, including by filling in the gaps in women’s health research. Doctors remain one of the most trusted sources of health information for women. So, if doctors have confidence in Flo, the medicine and science behind our work, then they can more confidently use it to support patient care.”