UNICEF estimated 44,000 Indian women die annually due to preventable childbirth-related causes.
I had an extremely high risk pregnancy.
Weeks ahead of my due date, I woke up with a splitting headache and the blood pressure monitor threw up an error.
My husband insisted on visiting the hospital before going to work.
So I did – walking into the doctors’ office with my laptop bag in hand.
That probably saved my life.
My blood pressure was so extremely out of range that the doctor was surprised I wasn’t hallucinating. She rushed me to an ICU and I got progressively worse within a day.
The doctors warned us of multiple organ failure if I waited any longer to deliver – I fought back wanting to give my kid a fighting chance.
Long story short, it’s a miracle we both made it out ok.
I know the story wouldn’t have ended this way if I didn’t have the medical support that I did.
Something that may not be the case for thousands of women across India who don’t have access to the knowledge or the means to monitor high risk pregnancies.
So today as part of #TheGoodFund‘s showcase of tech startups with social impact, I want to feature, Janitri, a Bangalore based biotech firm that is building affordable and easy-to-use wearable and AI-enabled solutions to bridge this gap.
Founded by Arun Agarwal, whose fledgling startup is looking to “monitor the critical vital parameters of the expectant mother, fetus, and newborn at the right time and an early decision can be taken, we can prevent millions of life-long complications and deaths happening during the phase of pregnancy, delivery, and post-delivery”
“In the next 2 years, we will be scaling up and touching millions of mothers and newborns lives during pregnancy, delivery, and post-delivery.”
Having a close brush with death can be life changing – but I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
No one should have to lose their mother on a preventable birth related health complication.
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My hope is, at some point in the future, to start a VC fund directed at #StartupsforSocialImpact – #TheGoodFund
Towards that, as I learn more, here is my weekly series to amplify the startups that are already paving inroads in this space.
Know of a tech startup driving social impact, drop me a note or tag them here 🙂
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