Daniel San Martin
Different hormonal contraceptives can affect people in a variety of ways. Finding the one which will lead to the fewest complications in an individual patient is something of a minefield, with many women testing various drugs through trial and error before they settle on one they’re happy with. Side effects like acne, weight gain, nausea and anxiety, to name but a few, mean patients may find certain hormonal contraceptives intolerable while others have few or no complications.
Historically, there hasn’t been any reliable litmus test to ascertain an individual woman’s response to a certain pill before she starts taking it. Now, the minds behind healthtech start-up Pexxi are using artificial intelligence (AI)-powered genetic testing to try and help patients avoid months – or even years – of contraception roulette. To use Pexxi, patients initially undergo a personal assessment via a chatbot questionnaire, which explores their unique mental and physical profile. Factors like having recently given birth, a history of blood clots or migraines can all mean a patient is unable to take oestrogen, which is found in combined contraceptive pills. Having this flagged from the beginning saves them from going through the genetic testing part of the process when it isn’t suitable for them.
Pexxi’s database currently contains information solely about contraceptive pills, but the company is looking to incorporate the contraceptive patch and ring further down the line. The technology is currently in beta-testing stages, which so far have been oversubscribed by 300%.
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