Math time (don’t worry, it’s the fun kind). Women = 52% of the planet. That’s not a “subset.” That’s not a “special interest group.” That’s literally the majority. If women’s health is “niche,” then eating food and breathing air are niche too.
And yet here we are, still hearing investors, analysts, and even some clinicians brush off women’s health as if it’s a boutique category. Like calling pizza a “snack.” Technically, sure. But wildly missing the point.
The real size: Not niche, not small, not going away
Women’s health isn’t just about periods and pregnancy. It spans everything: reproductive health, preventative screenings, medical devices, chronic disease management, mental health, menopause, and yes, consumer products and femtech.
Some receipts:
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The global women’s health market (inclusive of consumer health + devices + femtech) is projected to grow into the hundreds of billions over the next decade.
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In the U.S., women drive nearly 80% of healthcare decisions for their families and spend more on healthcare overall.
- Yet funding still tells a different story: between 2011 and 2020, women-focused health innovation received just 3.3% of U.S. digital health funding. That’s not niche. That’s negligence.
History check: Women weren’t forgotten, they were excluded
Until 1993, women were routinely left out of clinical trials. Why? Hormones were “too complicated.” Pregnancy risk was “too messy.” The result? Generations of drugs and devices tested mostly on men and then handed to women as if our bodies were just smaller, moodier versions. Spoiler: they’re not.
Even now, women make up less than half of participants in many trials for conditions that disproportionately affect them: as of 2019, women made up roughly 40 % of participants in clinical trials for the diseases that most affect women (e.g. cancer, cardiovascular disease), despite being ~51 % of the U.S. population.
Our bodies, our cycles, our reproduction, our menopause, all those deeply personal, biological realities, have historically been afterthoughts in medical science. Which is unbelievably stupid when you stop and think about it.
Translation: the system wasn’t built for women. But women are building the new system.
So why is “niche” still a whispered narrative, when it should be an opportunity?
Because bias lingers. Because decision‑makers often haven’t lived with periods, hormonal mood swings, endometriosis, or postpartum recovery. Because when women pitch, they sometimes still hear:
“Is this a women’s thing? That’s risky.”
“Is the market big enough?”
“But doesn’t this only apply to half the people?”
Also, because metrics and stories for “female health problems” were suppressed, ignored, underfunded, under‑published. So we don’t have centuries of robust data to casually point to, we have gaps. That feels niche. But those gaps are the opportunity:
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Women’s health = life-long health: menstruation, fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, menopause, chronic disease, mental health.
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Innovations for women often improve care for everyone. (Example: better diagnostics, pain management, preventative screenings.)
- The economic opportunity is massive. The human opportunity is bigger.
What companies like CNTRL+ are doing
At Cntrl+, we’re not waiting for permission. We’re developing pelvic health solutions for active women (yes, women can run, jump, do pushups, they still have pelvic floors). By being rigorous, evidence‑backed, user‑centered, and bold, we aim to turn the “why bother?” eyebrows into applause.
CNTRL+ is tackling bladder leaks head-on with a reusable, FDA-cleared device that supports the urethra, prevents leaks, and gives women back comfort and confidence. It’s part of a bigger movement, founders, clinicians, and innovators reshaping women’s health so it’s not an afterthought, but the main event.
Necessary, not niche
Call women’s health “niche” all you want. But here’s the truth:
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Every single person on Earth came from a woman’s body.
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Women’s health touches families, economies, and societies.
- Women’s health innovation isn’t optional, it’s overdue.
We’re not a side category. We’re not a special-interest corner.
We’re half the population. We’re the market. And we’re just getting started.
