Brittany Barreto, Ph.D., is a podcaster, entrepreneur, and molecular and human geneticist. (In other words, she’s really smart.) Read her column to learn what’s happening in the world of women’s health technology and innovation.
October is Menopause Awareness Month.
Are you worried about perimenopause? You can spend an entire afternoon wondering why you’re suddenly sweating through your shirt, forget about the whole thing at dinner, and then three weeks later sit across from your doctor and say, “I don’t know why, but I just feel bad.”
That’s one of the reasons this transition is so frustrating. Hot flashes can appear out of nowhere. Sleep can dissipate. Fear may increase. Words that normally roll off the tongue can suddenly feel like they’re hiding behind a closed door. But unlike a blood pressure reading or a broken bone on an X-ray, many menopausal symptoms depend on us noticing them, remembering them, and later describing them.
What if technology could pay attention when we can’t?
Four new products approach menopause symptoms from very different directions: One measures them, one fakes your temperature sensing system, one cools your bed before you wake up, and one listens for patterns in your voice.
These tools are consumer wellness products and are not FDA-approved menopause treatments. The research that supports them is also very different. So think of it as technology that can complement, not replace, evidence-based menopause care or conversations with your doctor.
The information about products and/or services in this column does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by HealthyWomen. The links are provided solely as a convenience and for informational purposes. This column occasionally features companies in which Brittany Barreto invests.
