Summit Trend in the News: The Fertility Boom
The Rise of Fertility Start-ups – New York Times
The fertility tech market is expanding fast, and this looks at the landscape, from companies like Modern Fertility and EverlyWell, selling at-home fertility-testing kits for women; Dadi, providing sperm testing and freezing; or Kindbody, making the egg-freezing process transparent. While many of the technologies used aren’t especially new (or even government-approved), what these new companies offer is far more accessibility.
Can You Still Do IVF during the Coronavirus Pandemic? – Vox
Fertility clinics have had to cancel assisted ovulation, intrauterine inseminations, IVF, embryo transfers and “non-urgent” egg freezing during COVID-19. This has piled on the anxiety for couples/individuals already strained financially and emotionally by the whole process. Looks at why providers are suspending fertility treatments, what it’s like to be continuing treatment now, and how the Coronavirus might impact the future fertility market.
The Newest Fertility Accessory: A Wellness Coach – New York Times
A small but growing number of fertility clinics are hiring wellness coaches—like “pre-doula doulas”—to guide women (and their partners) through their appointments, helping them relax with meditation, breathwork, yoga and guided imagery. Few scientists have studied the mind-body connection to fertility, but there is some evidence that mindfulness training reduces anxiety and depression among patients and even increases their chances of becoming pregnant.
How Tech Will Change Fertility – Forbes
The founder of Future Family (a start-up focused on improving IVF and egg-freezing) looks at three key ways that technology will change—and improve—fertility care: 1) Creating access: from online testing to digital consults to online fertility loan solutions; 2) Building a better experience: New telehealth layers and digital journeys will mean on-demand support from an app. 3) Driving outcomes: Big data is coming to fertility to predict which protocols work best based on an individual’s fertility profile, including age, ethnicity and health history.