Women in India are not adequately taught about their bodies during their early years. The taboo on speaking openly about menstruation sometimes leaves women with little information on how to properly manage their health. In the past few years, women’s healthcare apps have risen in popularity. They aim to fill the knowledge gap and thus enable women to better take care of themselves. Below is a list, in no particular order.
1. Maya
The company has been in the news lately after Google's Rajan Anandan invested in it. Founder John Paul told shethepeople.tv that he aimed to build a personal health assistant with this app. “Since our inception, we have obsessed about decoding each day of the monthly cycle to help women manage their health better.”
2. Celes Care
This company claims to be India’s first virtual health clinic for women. It recently received around $1 million in funding from Endiya partners, reported VCCircle. The service will enable women to connect with female doctors for their specific needs. The company was set up in 2015.
3. Period Tracker
Apart from tracking periods, fertility and ovulation, this app also monitors moods, medications and even days when you were intimate with your partner.
4. Clue
This app helps women keep track of their cycles. The more data a women puts in, and the more she uses the app, the more useful it becomes.
5. Gyan Jyoti
The app, which was developed by frontline health workers (Accredited Social Health Activists, ASHA) in Bihar uses motivational videos to educate married rural women on their contraceptive choices. It includes testimonials from happy couples who have used contraception, and has educational videos on contraception.
According to a study conducted by the John Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, the app led to a significant increase in the number of women using modern family planning methods in just a few months.
Researchers chose 406 women from each district. They found that 22 per cent of the women who had been counselled with the app were using modern contraceptive methods, while only 13 per cent of women who had not had access to the app were using modern contraception.
This study shows that mobile technology provides an innovative and dynamic platform for social and behaviour change communication," says Sanjanthi Velu, PhD, Asia team.
6. Health Saathi
The app has a lot of useful services for women and children, and aims to be a health companion for the entire family. It offers babysitting services for children, and has also tied up with an authorized government testing agency to offer home-based genetic tests.
7. Lovedoctor
This a virtual counselling platform where women can talk to professionals about their sexual and relationship issues. Sheroes, a job portal site designed for women, recently acquired it. The company recently launched the world's first snapchat channel dedicated to providing counselling for teenagers who are in abusive relationships. The company is capitalising on the fact that snap chats disappear, thereby giving teenagers an added layer of anonymity.
" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Also Read: Google’s Rajan Anandan invests in menstrual health tracker Maya
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