In the evolving landscape of women's health, the spotlight is now shining brightly on menopause. No longer a niche, women's health continues to gain traction, especially in the consumer products sector. Remarkable innovations are emerging, offering women new tools to understand and manage their health.
Consumers Drive Industry Change
Last Tuesday, consumer diagnostics company Clearblue unveiled a groundbreaking at-home test designed to empower women with critical insights into their menopause journey. Susanne Mitschke, CEO and co-founder of Citruslabs is a firsthand witness to the transformation happening in the industry. A prominent advocate for change in the approach to women's health, she applauds this significant step forward.
"The innovations we're witnessing in women's health are transformative, and they empower women to embrace every aspect of their well-being, including menopause. But consumer brands wouldn’t be producing products like these without significant demand in the market. The change started with conversations about the lack of solutions and care for women’s health."
Disparities in healthcare fuel the urgent need for women to seize control of their own well-being. Seeing a product like this on the shelves is a reflection of the work being done behind the scenes to shift the narrative.
Clearblue's pioneering urine test, available at major retailers like Walgreens, RiteAid, and Amazon, leverages the power of hormone levels to estimate a woman's stage of menopause. This is a game-changer, considering that the average age of menopause is 51, but symptoms can manifest years earlier and often overlap with other health conditions.
The Clearblue Approach: Empowering Women Through Knowledge
The Clearblue urine test, which costs approximately $30 for a pack of five test sticks, measures follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, which tend to rise during menopause. To assess their menopause stage, women input the results of five urine tests taken over ten days, along with their age and menstrual cycle history, into Clearblue's free app.
The app not only provides a menopause stage assessment but also assists in tracking related symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, and mood changes. This holistic approach helps women better understand their bodies during this transformative phase.
A Growing Market with Untapped Potential
The menopause care market is experiencing a significant shift. More companies are recognizing its potential, as evidenced by the expected growth of the global menopause market to $24.4 billion by 2030, up from an anticipated $16.9 billion in 2023, according to Grand View Research.
With women’s health communities like Rescripted, we’re seeing even more open conversations and resources around other health topics like period care, endometriosis, PCOS, fertility, sexual health, and more.
Citruslabs continues to focus on validating women’s health products in clinical trials. Brands like Semaine, Foria, Arrae, Dame, and Your Super are just a handful of the brands that have formulated supplements and consumer products specifically for women. The clinical research is promising and more companies are seeing this potential in the market.
Susanne Mitschke's passionate advocacy echoes this sentiment. She’s excited about the opportunity for other consumer brands to develop products specifically for women’s health.
"By providing women with tools to understand and embrace menopause," she says, "we are not only enhancing their quality of life but also reshaping the conversation around women's wellness as a whole. I’m confident more consumer products will emerge in this space, further expanding the tools at hand for women to take control of their health outcomes."
As women's health continues to gain the attention it deserves, it's heartening to witness breakthrough solutions like Clearblue's at-home test. Conversations, advocacy, and women’s health communities are the driving forces behind the change we need to see in the industry. With more companies entering this transformative space, the future looks brighter than ever for women's health and well-being.
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