Hello, lovely reader,
I had the pleasure of attending Marina Gerner’s book launch for The Vagina Business last night.
I’m always slightly nervous heading into these events. I almost talk myself out of going.
But, I pushed through the apprehension and had a great time catching up with FemTech friends and LinkedIn pals.
Marina’s message was loud and clear, though. A book with the word vagina on it is going to be harder to sell because some writers won’t endorse it and many bookshops will hide it away.
When you read it, shout about it and add reviews to all the usual platforms.
If I spot it in-store, I will strategically place it in the most viewed spots in the bookshop.
Chipping away at the patriarchy, book by book!
Three ways to help close the gender health gap this week
Learn what our genetics mean for ovarian aging
How can we predict when menopause will happen?
Brands are launching tests, scales, wearables, etc, to help us answer that question but perhaps we need to look deeper inside.
New research claims to have found four rare genes that can impact when menopause begins.
The study analysed data from 106,973 post-menopausal female participants in the UK Biobank. The findings showed that changes to four newly identified genes (ETAA1, ZNF518A, PNPLA8 and PALB2) are believed to bring forward the start of menopause by up to six years.
The theory is that these genetic changes cause damage to the DNA of the eggs, which may then subsequently die or ‘self-destruct’. This is crucial because your egg number determines when menopause begins.
Side note - did you know the ovaries aren’t connected to the fallopian tubes? They float within the pelvis attached to the uterus by a ligament. At ovulation, the egg is swept up by the fimbriae (the edge bit) of the fallopian tube. Very bloody cool!
Read a BBC Science summary here and the full findings here
Get help with period insomnia
Are you one of the 69% of women who experience troubled sleep during menstruation?
I’m more sensitive to noise and can never quite get to an optimum temperature. I need the covers on because, you know, monsters. But, I quickly get too hot. Once I’m awake, my brain goes wild with intrusive thoughts.
Mindset app, Clementine, has teamed up with global brand, Essity, to create the world’s first digital sleep aid for women+.
They have created hypnotherapy tracks themed around the menstrual cycle, with sessions focused on pain relief and embracing your cycle.
It’s available in Columbia, Mexico and Sweden and is coming to the UK soon.
Watch a video explaining more here.
Help the men in your life understand menopause
Are there any men in your life who would benefit from better understanding menopause? This webinar from Kate Rowe-Ham and Dr Vikram Talaulikar, a reproductive medicine specialist at UCLH, will cover:
Understanding menopause
What men can do to support
How to start conversations around menopause
How to be an advocate of menopause awareness
The event is on Sunday, 13th October at 7.30pm BST.
This week's bonus is for anyone who’d like to see some good news around funding for female founders. The Rethink Impact third fund has raised $250 million to back female and non-binary CEOs. Read more about it here.
If you enjoyed reading this, please do like or shout about it!
When not curating this email, I help women’s health brands find their voice and stand out in a busy market.
Would you like to get your brand or business in front of an engaged community of women’s health enthusiasts? Drop me a note to get my media pack and sponsorship rates.
Thanks very much for reading,
Hannah
Love the genetics link! I am deep into understanding the genetics of PCOS and helping us understand our bodies better! I can't wait for genetics to play a bigger importance in personalised health management. However with the increasingly challenging health system it seems like a distant dream.