The Vagina Business: The Innovative Breakthroughs that Could Change Everything in Women's Health

by Marina Gerner

A critical exploration into why male investors are afraid of the v-word, what that means for women's health and sexual wellness, and how we can overcome it.

"I don't want to talk about vaginas in my Monday morning meeting."

Women make over 80 percent of healthcare decisions in the U.S. yet have been excluded from designing the health system for too long. It was only 1993 when women and people of color were officially included in clinical trials. Heart attacks are the number one killer of women worldwide, but women are 50 percent more likely to be given a wrong diagnosis. Only four percent of all healthcare research and development is focused on women's health issues. From periods and childbirth to menopause, female pain has been normalized, as society shrugs and says "Welcome to being a woman" instead of coming up with better solutions.

In The Vagina Business, award-winning journalist Marina Gerner PhD takes an eye-opening—and often times shocking—look at the inequities when it comes to scientific research and the funding of female-focused health companies. She exposes the obstacles entrepreneurs around the world face in the boardroom and beyond. Most of all, she shows us that it doesn't have to be this way. From a life-saving bra to non-hormonal contraception and new takes on fertility and menopause, she shines a light on innovation that matters. Women should not be denied solutions to health issues just because people are embarrassed to talk about vaginas. We deserve much better.

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, Science, Health, Economics, Audiobook, Womens

448 pages, Hardcover

Published September 17, 2024

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

THANK YOU Marina Gerner for writing this book!!! It's right up there with Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution, It's Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health, and Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men - the latter of which is actually mentioned in this book.

Marina's writing conveys the urgency you feel in journalistic writing, but without the pressure to create your own opinion ASAP that journalists can also convey (especially lately, in my opinion). It was nice to be able to assess women's health/feminism/femtech/all of the things through a business lens, not just an "angry-woman-also-screwed-by-healthcare-and-the-patriarchy" lens. Working in IT for 4+ years I experienced some of the things mentioned in this book firsthand. But the majority of it, the behind the scenes stuff above my paygrade, I hadn't the slightest clue any specifics of (spoiler alert I was never even close to being a CEO of a company).

The time, money, resources and intelligence going into femtech is inspirational - but not enough. We need more time, more money, more resources and more brainpower (especially from women) if we want to bring women's health up to where men's is. Admittedly this book made my outlook a little more jaded at first, but by the end I'd learned of so many badass people creating badass products. I actually came away with a little more hope for the future of our health, and maybe even a new device to help me not feel like I'm running a 110 degrees and can't ever cool off.

{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, Marina Gerner PhD and publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!}

[Dessi · Rating 5 out of 5]

[BOOKSTAGRAM]

I received this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

While working in an academic space in charge of making university research available, I remember that one time I was talking about my frustration with some of the reports I reviewed, particularly in social sciences. Some of my colleagues didn’t seem to have had the same kind of strict education on research I’d benefitted from, and produced the most boring, pointless and underselling reports. My one female colleague agreed: why was our university approving those kind of projects, what was the review process like? But somehow her rant deviated very soon: there was a group somewhere working on developing nationally-produced vaginal condoms, and she didn’t think public university should be the one to finance that because “if that’s your choice, then it’s your problem” - as vaginal condoms are typically used in queer sex.

Another time, a male colleague mentioned that he thought everybody was going overboard with the mention of vaginas and vulvas. “You don’t see us publicly talking about the penis all the time!” he said, as if we didn’t grow up with penises drawn everywhere, and dirty jokes and innuendo centered around the penis, and threats that involved the penis. He said his wife disagreed.

I thought about these two personal experiences when reading this book. About how we think equality has been achieved, or at least in the West it has; about how we don’t consider that language and symbols still shape our culture one way; about how women’s health still seems like a black box sometimes; about how the system is still rigged to think of cis straight white men as the default; about the different and seemingly invisible hurdles every other demographic still must jump over. About how women’s health and women’s bodies still seem to be an afterthought, unless you’re trying to sell us something.

I hadn’t previously thought much about femtech - in fact the term was new to me - and I’m far from versed in finance, but I found Gerner’s work to be clear and engaging for almost every audience. The author interviewed 100 femtech entrepreneurs from around the world (both women and men), working in the development of technology on varied issues: fertility, abortion, menopause, birthing, cardiovascular health, breast-feeding, disability and sex, endometriosis…

As we learn about these innovations and what they aim to solve, we also find out more about the process from idea to development, the problems in funding, the prejudice and ignorance in those on top of the ladder (“I don’t want to talk about vaginas on a Monday morning!” “Aren’t dilators just for sex?” “I don’t think my wife experiences that!”), as well as the workarounds and strategies entrepreneurs have found. We see the innovations that have succeeded, the ones that have failed and the ones that could turn out to be game-changers.

If I’d heard femtech before, I would have wearily wondered “what are they trying to sell us now?” But Gerner makes sure to emphasize what actually is femtech and what isn’t: the first one, something that genuinely improves our well-being and leads to empowerment; the latter, anything that exploits our vulnerabilities for profit.

While the author generally talks about women, she takes care to remark that femtech includes people in other parts of the gender spectrum, and that it also includes innovations that might not be considered “tech”, like medication.

These kind of caveats made the book so much richer and dynamic, in my opinion. Even though there was a little bit extra focus on fertility/parenthood, which I’m not personally interested in, I still loved reading about it.

This is without a doubt a book that incites anger at the injustice of it all, and of course I felt that… but I mostly came away from it inspired, hopeful and grateful to the women who are paving the way.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Vagina Business is an eye-opening exploration of women's health, blending urgency with optimism. It introduces pioneering women and the transformative power of technology. A must-read that challenges norms and offers hope for better health outcomes.

[A. Housewife · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book so much this is rounded down from 4.5 stars. (You know I'm picky about the 5 stars; they have to change my life.)

This is the kind of book that is so important and I hope everyone reads it and it becomes part of our cultural knowledge, AND I hope it becomes passe and we look back at that quaint time when we were so primitive.

I've read before about how women's bodies have not been part of medical research and the difficulties this causes. If that's new to you, the author does a solid job here. But the book goes much further. I particularly like what is defined as femtech. How is it defined, what does it include, what does it not include, and why.

I also really liked the economics and business approach. This book is not about feelings, it's not about equity, it's about the market. It's fascinating to read the trouble that entrepreneurs have getting investors, how they go about it, to read the success stories and to read the difficulties and how they maneuver. So interesting.

I was also interested to read more about products that I myself know about and use or have used, and about background and products that I never heard of.

Sometimes I felt that some angry feminist sentiment slips through. On the other hand, it is a little difficult to read all this, which overall feels really balanced, researched, and enlightening, without feeling some frustration and feeling the extent of the challenge. I hope that investors and entrepreneurs continue to see the market opportunity and succeed. I found the section about what is dishonest and what takes advantage of people's insecurities and thus did not meet the standards of technology that supports women's health to be extremely clear and important. Great book. The more people that read it, especially people interested in business, the better.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT book that enhanced my understanding of why women’s health research & innovative products are so lacking. The innovative fem tech is outstanding, but the battle to secure investors is appalling. We have a LONG way to go but very encouraged by & grateful to those blazing the trail.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

a must read for women AND men

[Natalie Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gave it an extra star as we don’t talk about this information enough and so glad to hear of all the women taking action to improve women’s lives.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great read and shined a light on femtech. From exclusion in medical research (and a nod to Invisible Women) to outdated procedures for childbirth, this showed several areas that are not talked about enough, and as a result, leave people in pain or unacknowledged.

I also loved how Marina continually referenced that every person may have a different idea (e.g. medical intervention vs natural remedies) and respected that everyone would have their own preferences. This also felt very inclusive and referenced that femtech can benefit many, without excluding communities such as trans men, those who do/do not menstruate, and intersex people. This is the sort of non-fiction needed to demonstrate that safe and innovative femtech benefits all of us.

[Yamil Hernández · Rating 3 out of 5]

TLDR: A sharp, well-researched look at the economics of women’s health—and who held the power and how that’s been changing.

The Vagina Business is one of those books that makes you step back and really think about how money, power, and gender intersect. Marina Gerner does a great job of laying out how the medical, wellness, and tech industries have historically overlooked—or outright exploited—women’s health, especially when it comes to reproductive and sexual health. It’s infuriating but not surprising when you look at who’s had financial control for most of history.

Reading this as a man, I had to sit with the fact that a lot of these barriers exist because men have held so much economic power for so long. You see the same issue in healthcare research (where men’s bodies are the default), in business funding (where women struggle to get investment capital), and even in education. It’s all connected. If men control the money, they control the narrative—and who gets access to resources.

Gerner doesn’t just critique; she also highlights the innovators and activists pushing for change, which I appreciated. The book reminded me that financial independence isn’t just about personal success—it’s about having the power to advocate for yourself and others. Definitely a worthwhile read.

[Elena Ginzburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic! Thoroughly researched, well-written, and covering the all-important subjects of female health and wellness. Read it and gift it to friends!

[Left Coast Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

After my bitter Chocolate, I was looking for something sweeter to add to my Thanksgiving project -- reflecting on things that have beneficially impacted my life. Money and vaginas both land on the short list, so when I saw The Vagina Business winking at me from the library shelf, I snatched it up without hesitation.

Well, without much hesitation, anyway. Why do publishers insist on making every hardback about physical women Pepto-Bismol pink? At least the library copy had a dust jacket, prominently featuring a mocked-up high-tech vulva in the center. Which was fine, mostly, except using a USB connector to indicate the clitoris felt a little weird to me. No sex robots for this kid, thanks.

Enough. This is a high-energy, fun ride through what has come to be known as ‘femtech,’ written with verve and gusto and wide-ranging research. I mean, sometimes the urge to make fun of author Gerner is irresistible: ”But there’s no direct Japanese word for ‘sexual wellness,’” she writes in her preface. And no direct word in English, either, apparently, as we need – count ‘em – two words. But I was generally willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, because she’s from Kyiv and probably writing in her third or fourth language. And she reminds me of the Ukrainian Sisterhood I’ve befriended here on GR, another item on my shortlist of things I’m thankful for.

I like nonfiction works written by scientists, though I acknowledge they can be a little ponderous sometimes. The “First we’ll describe X, and then demonstrate how X leads to Y, and once we’ve mastered that we can bring in the related concept of Z” type of approach. None of that here: part of the fun is never knowing on one page what the next page will bring. Gerner is a journalist, not a scientist. She’s like a hummingbird on meth, hopping from topic to topic with blinding speed in a way that some might find annoying but I thought was fun. Very broadly she talks about businesswomen and -men who are developing and marketing things that can be labeled “Femtech.” This covers everything from raising venture capital to inventing masturbatory aids for people without hands to helping women safely terminate pregnancies in areas that forbid it, with a hundred other things in between.

One of which is normalizing the use of the word “vagina”. (“If you can mention erections that last more than four hours on TV, why are vaginas still verboten?”). I thought the book’s title might be unnecessarily provocative – after all, her subject is products for women in toto and not just their vaginas – but I think she’s really committed to dragging women’s bodies out of the Dark Ages, including in language. Good for her.

And let’s face it, a scientist would have never mentioned LittleBird, a company that introduced “a sex toy that would vibrate in synch with reading erotic content on an app.” Sadly, LittleBird is extinct, probably because they didn’t advertise on GoodReads.

An additional opportunity to poke fun: One of the biggest Femtech success stories are less-instrusive, easy-to-clean breast pumps that can be worn in a bra. She’s interviewing the CEO of Elvie, a femtech company in London, and relates the following statement:

Most breast pumps use a mechanical motor. We use a little tiny thing called a piazza pump. It vibrates 10,000 times per second, and it’d been used in the medical space – and we applied that to a breast pump.

A piazza pump! Maybe they’re made in Italy! No, I’m 99% sure the Elvie CEO was saying was piezo pump, well-known technology based on the phenomenon of piezoelectricity, in which certain ceramics change shape when an electrical current flows through them.

There is more, much more, than I can cover here. Endometriosis. Organ prolapse. Women supporting women via all kinds of social websites and apps. Osteoporosis. Polycystic ovary syndrome. An attempt by two tech bros to create a company called LegalFling which wanted to use blockchain technology to prove sexual consent had been offered, “but failed to understand the nature of consent, which is that it can be withdrawn at any time.” (Like when some dickhead asks you to log on and sign a digital affidavit after you take your shirt off.) STI-detecting tampons. Episiotomies. Incontinence. Cardiovascular health tracked by your bra. The potential applications are endless, but this review is not.

[Viktoria Walter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marina Gerner beleuchtet in Vagina Business eindrucksvoll, wie tief die Ungleichheiten in Forschung, Wirtschaft und Medizin noch immer verankert sind, wenn es um Frauen geht. Sie zeigt die Hindernisse auf, denen Frauen in der Wirtschaft, in der sexuellen und reproduktiven Gesundheit sowie im Zugang zu medizinischer Versorgung nach wie vor begegnen. Und vor allem schreibt sie darüber, wie eine Gesellschaft über 50 % ihrer Bevölkerung in allen Lebensphasen behandelt.

Ihr Buch bricht mit Tabus: Es macht deutlich, dass es kein „heikles Thema“ ist, über Menstruation, Fruchtbarkeit, Menopause oder sexuelle Gesundheit zu sprechen, sondern eine gesellschaftliche Notwendigkeit. Zahlreiche inspirierende Frauen und Unternehmen arbeiten bereits daran, die Gesundheitsversorgung für Frauen zugänglicher, einfacher und gerechter zu gestalten.

Wer Fakten, Zahlen und fundierte Analysen ebenso liebt wie ich, wird dieses Buch besonders schätzen. Gerners journalistischen Stil empfand ich als sehr präzise, faktenreich und zugleich zutiefst ermutigend.
Und für all jene, die (wie ich) manchmal denken, dass sich in Sachen Frauengesundheit nichts bewegt: Dieses Buch öffnet einem die Augen. Irgendwo auf der Welt arbeitet nämlich gerade eine Frau an einer Idee, die alles verändern kann. Vielleicht stellt sie auch gerade widerwillig einen Fake-CEO an die Spitze, um für Investitionen zu kämpfen. Und um diese Frauen zu unterstützen, müssen wir weiterhin für unsere Körper und Bedürfnisse einstehen, damit sich auch in einer männlich dominierten Welt langfristig etwas verändern kann.

Ein starkes Buch, meiner Meinung nach: Denn echte Veränderung entsteht dort, wo Wissen, Körperbewusstsein und Mut zusammenkommen.

[Claire Binkley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know what I was looking for when I got this book out from the library, but I got it. This book has clearer diagrams than I remembered from whatever I knew before about ladybits, which might have been my 10th grade physical education class years and years ago, which was taught by a man.

The book mentions that it might be improper for different genders to teach each other about their private parts, but this is my experience. I just remember there being one female P.E. teacher when I was in high school and maybe three male ones. The gender imbalance may have been corrected since then, but possibly not, since there possibly might not be much draw to the field, but I don't know...

I looked up this career gender split as of this year in my country: "Men (63%)
Women (37%)"

So, I have just been investigating what they say about this topic. It suggested that there possibly could be some things in the works to make things easier for women which could probably therefore make things easier for men too in a passive way, but I didn't really understand what she was talking about, so I am going to just take my copy back to let someone else see.

[B.S. Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is necessary reading. A well crafted, researched and easily followable manifesto on the financial, industrial and social barriers put in place by men who have controlled the money and power they never earned but hoarded through generational misogyny and systemic sexism.

It starts with a clear real life example that quickly highlights one of the many issues with modern society - showing the inequality in the development, research and investment of birth control, showing bias towards catering to mens safety and comfort while still creating a social stigma around women who dare to advocate for their own reproductive rights or sexuality. With each chapter, this book provides crystal clear evidence that our capitalist society both profits from women, and requires their oppression to continue their own comforts.

Then it takes a spotlight to the amazing, innovative, creative ideas that could change the world, save people. improve lives - if only women were given an equal playing field.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took some courage to grab Marina's book from my handbag to start reading it while waiting for my flight. I quickly opened the book in order to screen the flashy title from curious onlookers. By the time I got to my seat on the plane, I didn't care anymore what my fellow passengers were thinking about this 69 year old lady reading a book with the title: "The Vagina Business". I didn't care about the 23 year old man sitting next to me trying to get a glimpse of the book. I read and read and read for the entire 8 hour flight. From an occasional giggle, to getting angry, to the realization that we are still fighting the same fight that we fought many years ago. As we landed, I felt hopeful that Marina's book will finally move us forward in finding solutions for improving Women's health and sexual wellness.

Thank you Marina Gerner for writing such a courageous and insightful book!

[Cheyenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS (non-fiction) | Sourcebooks for this book for review. I loved this book and all the information it provided. Although I work in healthcare and am very aware, this book brought home just how under-represented women are in healthcare decisions that are made on a daily basis. From clinical studies to business marketing, this book discusses how women just are NOT taken seriously and are not given the appropriate and NECESSARY representation for what we need and FOR OUR LIVES. Thank you as this book was great and I will read it again.

[Elizabeth Krekeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book! Discusses the barriers women still face in business, in sexual health, in reproductive health and how society treats over 50% of the population during all stages of life. This book sheds light on the stigma that is associated with Women’s health and acknowledges that’s it’s no “taboo” to discuss problems most women face through out their lifetime. Lots of wonderful women and companies trying to make care simpler and more accessible for women. Great read I recommend everyone men and women should read it.

[Man Ha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find this book interesting for its exploration of the unspoken discussions among women and men due to societal stigma. People do not discuss openly due to society's judgmental nature. However, to raise awareness and bring it into the business market, the stigma needs to be removed and moved into open discussion so everyone can understand and agree on the same page. That's like 80% of the book before moving on to different business models to bring the products to market.

[Ashley Ocean · Rating 5 out of 5]

A prolific analysis of visionary brands and leaders in fem tech and what such industries have to offer us in the future. A must read for those wishing to educate themselves about the products and sector. An excellent starting point for potential investors or existing investors wishing to expand their education. This book will age well. I look forward to the author continuing to cover it.

[Lee Must · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars- I appreciated the critical subject matter of this book but found reading it to be somewhat frustrating as it jumped around from topic to topic and didn’t always provide enough context either at the start of a new section or before moving on from a previous section, leaving me feeling confused.

[Tyler Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read diving into the recent innovations in the field of women's health. Gerner describes how this field has long been overlooked, and she doesn't just critique, but highlights the trail blazers who have been pushing the field forward. There is still a lot of work to do, but women's health is no longer a taboo like it was before. We have done a good job normalizing these conversations, and must continue to innovate and invest in this field to keep the ball rolling.

[Em Sandalls · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read on women’s health and recent studies, shows how little progress is being made regarding fertility, periods etc and going backwards with pregnancy and birth.
Reason not 5 stars is that the chapters had parts within and I found it hard to follow when listening to it where some parts felt a bit skipped over. Also was expecting studies of health relating to workplace.

[Sarah Loew · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so excited for this book and was sorely disappointed. The writing style didn’t match the content of an informative novel in any way. Quotes were misused and information was scarce amongst the details of the weather the day the author conducted an interview. As someone who’s super passionate about women’s healthcare, I’m sad that this book entirely missed the mark.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marina Gerner's "The Vagina Business" offers a fresh, provocative exploration of female empowerment through business, blending personal stories with sharp feminist insights. Book will leave you shocked and energized.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a greatly detailed book on the many companies I had no idea existed that can benefit women’s health. Fem Tech !

Betta believe I highlighted, for further research and pricing and availability, a bunch of the companies .

[Lyubov · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute must for everyone, whether you want to learn more about the state of healthcare or understand what innovations are worth your time and money, or not so much. Thank you to the author, this book was very much needed!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating topic! The structure of the book was a little frustrating and the writing was a bit dry at times, but I still really enjoyed reading about all the up and coming innovations happening in the world of Femtech.

[Shruti Pandey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great analysis on various aspects of women's health and the startups catering to them. I would have preferred a deeper analysis in many sections of the book, but I am happy women's health is being discussed more.

[Floor van der Meijs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interessant boek dat laat zien hoe groot het gebrek is aan onderzoek en innovatie binnen de vrouwengezondheid. Van de bijwerkingen van de pil tot de moeite om investeerders te vinden. Dikke tip voor alle vrouwen!

[Elly Steinberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A much-needed, brilliant and entertaining book. Changed my understanding of women's health. A must read!