With only 15% of femtech apps meeting quality thresholds, which ones can be trusted? Kate Gilding, marketing manager for the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps (ORCHA) explains how to identify which femtech apps you can trust.
There has been a huge rise in the number of apps that address women’s health. From period-tracking apps, pregnancy and nursing care, women's sexual wellness, to reproductive health, it’s the most searched for category on Google and is attracting the attention of Venture Capital investment.
The ORCHA has reviewed hundreds of femtech apps in order to provide transparency for patients and healthcare professionals alike in terms of the apps that are safest and most clinically assured. Each app featured on our App Library receives an ORCHA Score, which provides clarity on which femtech apps are the best, and which should be used with caution.
We’ve reviewed over 200 of the femtech market’s most downloaded apps, looking at 260 criteria across three main components. These components were data security, clinical assurance and user experience. They were chosen to uncover the strengths and weaknesses of the sector and spot the stand-out apps. Our analysis found that more than 85% of the apps do not meet our quality threshold of 65% and have areas that need addressing, primarily around clinical assurance.
Given this proportion of low-quality apps, combined with the increased consumer demand and lack of regulation in app stores, we believe ORCHA’s App Library is of vital importance for enabling populations and healthcare professionals to discover the femtech apps that do stand out as being safe and trustworthy.
Here, we explore five of the top-scoring femtech apps reviewed by ORCHA, which can be useful before, during and after pregnancy:
1. Natural Cycles
This app can be used as a fertility tracker, or, in the USA and Europe as a method of birth control. Natural Cycles uses a smart algorithm to learn your cycle and identify your ovulation by analysing basal body temperature. Backed by scientific research, the app is the first digital method of birth control available in both the USA and Europe. Natural Cycles achieved an ORCHA Score of 84% on iOS and Android, making it the highest scoring pregnancy app on ORCHA’s App Library.
2. Mush
This app empowers women to build local friendships with other mums, share advice and find support from an understanding community. Mush creates opportunities for mums to socialise, bridging the gap between appointments with healthcare professionals, and provides support for those who don't have family networks nearby. Mush scored 83% in their ORCHA Review on both iOS and Android.
3. Mum & Baby
Developed in partnership between families and maternity staff from NHS trusts in North West London, Mum & Baby can provide support from the start of pregnancy to early parenthood. The app allows you to understand your choices for maternity care in North West London, and make personalised plans for your care during pregnancy, birth and beyond. Mum & Baby achieved an ORCHA Score of 82% on Android and 81% on iOS.
4. Ovia Pregnancy Tracker
Ovia allows you to track your baby’s development and your own wellbeing as the pregnancy progresses. It includes a customisable health tracker, a calendar for organisation, a community of mums and expectant mums, and over 2000 pregnancy articles and tips. The app achieved an ORCHA Score of 80% on iOS and 79% on Android.
5. Breast Start
This app provides evidence-based information from NHS professionals about all aspects of breastfeeding. It also allows you to find support locally and nationally, including giving advice on local breastfeeding-friendly places. Breast Start achieved an ORCHA Score of 76% on Android.
Conclusion
It’s exciting to see the surge in apps available on the femtech market but worrying that so many of these apps remain unregulated and exist without clinical assurance. Digital health solutions can be a great aid during pregnancy and can address multiple women’s health concerns, so platforms such as ORCHA are necessary to overcome the inherent uncertainty of app stores by introducing transparency as to which healthcare apps can be trusted.