Reproductive health impacts women's well-being throughout their lives.

From painful periods to pregnancy, menopause, and beyond, reproductive health represents 30 % of women’s disease load—and research is starving.

We back research, programs, & initiatives that further women’s reproductive & overall health.

The Problem

Women spend 25 % more of their lives in poor health than men, with conditions such as endometriosis impacting 10% of reproductive age women and girls.

Existing Solution

Despite the scale of the problem, only 2% of VC funding in healthcare and 11% of NIH funding is directed towards women’s health.

Our Approach

We direct philanthropic funding to breakthrough research, community-led solutions, and advocacy to close the gap in women’s health.

Research we’re supporting

Our current focus is on three key research branches in women’s health.

Preeclampsia

A serious pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and proteins in the urine affecting 2-8% of pregnancies worldwide and causing >70,000 maternal and 500,000 newborn deaths each year.

Endometriosis

A chronic condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, causing severe pelvic pain, infertility, and significant disruptions to daily life. It affects up to 190 million women globally.

Ectogenesis

The development of artificial womb technology that could enable gestation outside the human body, providing an alternative or extension to pregnancy and solving prematurity, among other conditions.

References

  1. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. (2023). Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 (GBD 2021) results. University of Washington. https://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-2021

  2. McKinsey Health Institute. (2024). Closing the women’s health gap: A $1 trillion opportunity to improve lives and economies. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/closing-the-womens-health-gap-a-1-trillion-dollar-opportunity-to-improve-lives-and-economies

  3. World Health Organization. (2023, March 16). Endometriosis (Fact sheet). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/endometriosis

  4. World Health Organization. (2023, May 5). Pre-eclampsia (Fact sheet). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/pre-eclampsia

  5. Rana, S., Lemoine, E., Granger, J. P., & Karumanchi, S. A. (2023). Pre-eclampsia. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 9(1), Article 31. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-023-00417-6

  6. World Health Organization. (2023, February 28). Maternal mortality (Fact sheet). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality

  7. Micca, P., & Radin, J. (2024, February 27). Can investors help women’s health break through the glass ceiling? Deloitte’s analysis of health-tech investment trends reveals an increased focus on women’s health, but challenges remain. Deloitte Insights, Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/health-care/health-tech-and-womens-health-investment-trends.html