London, May 11, 2023 – Flo Health, the most popular women’s health app globally with 50 million monthly active users, is today releasing its inaugural report titled ”Failed foundations: The women’s health crisis in post-Roe America.” In the aftermath of the historic overturn of Roe v. Wade, American women face endless challenges: Health clinics are closing,1,2 doctors and women fear prosecution for providing or accessing care,3 the education system is limiting health education curriculum,4 and misinformation about women’s health topics runs rampant on social media.5
This report outlines the landscape American women navigate as they seek information about their bodies and answers the following questions: Where do American women go for health information about menstruation and sex? Which topics can Flo Health help women improve their knowledge about? How can Flo better help women source and identify credible information? Flo Health sought to find the answers, share medically credible information, and provide key predictions on what may influence American women in the future.
The report compiles responses from a nationally representative survey of American women between the ages of 18 and 55 and reveals figures such as:
- 63% of women aged 18 to 24 say they learned more about women’s health from social media than they did in school.
- 23.7 million (30%) of women say they first learned of menstruation when their period started.
- Over half (54%) were not aware of premenstrual syndrome prior to their first period.
- 56% of women do not currently use contraception.
- 54% of women don’t know how many days a month they are fertile.
“Technology like social media, search engines, and artificial intelligence further complicate the process for women to find accurate information, which is buried among a sea of generalized health advice, misinformation, and deliberate disinformation,” said Dr. Claudia Pastides, director of medical accuracy at Flo Health. “Through the findings of this report and listening to our American users, we realized the US landscape is particularly challenging due to the rippling effects of the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Flo Health wants to empower women to better understand their bodies so they can make the most informed decisions for their health.”
The report features commentary and was reviewed by multiple medical experts, including:
- Dr. Anna Klepchukova, chief medical officer at Flo Health
- Dr. Claudia Pastides, director of medical accuracy at Flo Health
- Dr. Ali Rodriguez, an Arizona-based obstetrician, gynecologist, and Flo Health medical expert
Flo Health also provides three predictions about the future of the following aspects of health information:
- The role of artificial intelligence in women’s health
- The pushback against medical misinformation
- The rise of a personalized health experience
The Flo Health app helps to bridge the knowledge gaps identified in the report. The app supports girls, women, and anyone who menstruates during their reproductive lives by providing curated cycle and ovulation tracking; personalized health insights; expert tips; medically credible content on a variety of menstrual, reproductive, and sexual health topics; and a fully closed community for users to share their questions and concerns. Flo Health will continue to develop its app’s features to meet the needs of women in the United States and globally, as the company is aligned with the World Health Organization in its assertion that every woman has the right to accurate information and education, as well as access to necessary health care.
To find out more about the report, “Failed foundations: The women’s health crisis in post-Roe America” visit https://flo.health/landings/reproductive-health-report-us. For questions about the report, please contact press@flo.health.
Survey methodology
Flo Health’s 2023 Reproductive Health Survey was conducted in January 2023 among 2,010 online adult women ages 18 to 55 via Cint. Sampling quotas were used to ensure the representativeness of the US general population of women aged 18 to 55. Sampling quotas and population calculations were derived using the US Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates Subject Tables. The report was issued on February 7, 2023, by Ground Control Research.
Disclaimer
As a note, Flo Health uses the terms “women/woman” interchangeably with “female” in this report, as the research only sampled those who identify themselves as “women.” However, Flo Health recognizes that both sex and gender can exist on a spectrum. The company aims to be inclusive of all people born with female reproductive organs, regardless of gender, anyone who identifies as a woman, and all individuals who menstruate.
About Flo Health
Flo Health is the most popular women’s health app globally; it is the #1 OB-GYN-recommended app for period and cycle tracking based on a survey among US OB-GYNs. Over 280 million people have downloaded Flo, and 50 million people use it on a monthly basis. With over 120 medical experts, Flo supports women during their entire reproductive lives and provides curated cycle and ovulation tracking, personalized health insights, expert tips, and a fully closed community for women to share their questions and concerns. Flo prioritizes safety and keeps a sharp focus on being the most trusted digital source for women’s health information. As part of the company’s commitment to privacy, Flo Health’s Anonymous Mode feature was named a finalist for Fast Company’s 2023 World Changing Ideas, Rapid Response Category. The Flo Health app is available in more than 20 languages on iOS and Android. For more information, please visit https://flo.health.