Did you know Finland is one of the best countries for mothers and maternity care? Finland excels in maternal health, and children’s well-being, and offers generous amounts of paid maternity leave.
Recognizing the potential for change, Annika assembled a talented team and initiated a research project focused on emotion tracking and patient experience outcomes. The team includes OB/GYN Aura Pyykönen and Psychologist & Psychotherapist Riikka Lemmetyinen. This powerful team of women partnered with the HEMA Institute of Healthcare Engineering, Architecture, and Management at Aalto University, and they began developing innovative solutions to support families through the childbirth journey.
In addition to winning the prestigious Polar Bear Pitching competition, Natal Mind is now part of two prominent incubators: the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) and Health Incubator Helsinki. These programs provide crucial mentorship, resources, and opportunities to refine their business model using real-world data, further solidifying their position in the healthcare innovation space.
Introducing: Natal Mind
Meet Natal Mind, a project that is now on its way to transferring from a university research project into a spin-off startup, looking to revolutionize maternity care through AI. Natal Mind is driven by the vision of improving maternal and parental mental health. Natal Mind is now further studying its understanding of the global maternity care landscape and invites insights from parents and healthcare professionals. If you or your partner are pregnant or planning to have a baby, consider participating in their survey. Your experiences and insights are invaluable in shaping a tool that truly meets the needs of families everywhere. Take the survey here. You can help to the way for calmer pregnancies and better birth experiences for families around the world. Thank you for your support!
University Research Project: Natal Mind
Natal Mind began its journey at Helsinki’s maternity and child health clinics in 2022, as part of the Biodesign Finland program at Aalto University’s Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering. Its mission? To address the unmet needs of families navigating the complexities of childbirth. The “mother” of Natal Mind, Annika Järvelin, immersed herself in the realities faced by families before and after childbirth. Through careful observation and interviews with healthcare staff, she uncovered significant gaps in support systems. This insight catalyzed the creation of Natal Mind, a project that aims to enhance emotional well-being during one of life’s most transformative experiences.
Recognizing the potential for change, Annika assembled a talented team and initiated a research project focused on emotion tracking and patient experience outcomes. The team includes OB/GYN Aura Pyykönen and Psychologist & Psychotherapist Riikka Lemmetyinen. This powerful team of women partnered with the HEMA Institute of Healthcare Engineering, Architecture, and Management at Aalto University, and they began developing innovative solutions to support families through the childbirth journey.
Pioneering Technology
With an initial grant of €700,000 from Business Finland, Natal Mind made substantial progress. The team enhanced an existing emotion-tracking algorithm, leading to the development of an AI-powered app designed to serve as a birth coach and well-being companion. This funding facilitated clinical trials for pregnant women. Early clinical trials yielded promising results, revealing a notable decrease in the fear of childbirth among app users, contrasting sharply with the control group, which experienced heightened anxiety. Feedback from healthcare professionals and parents globally underscored the urgent demand for such a solution, reinforcing the app’s potential impact.The Path Ahead
As Natal Mind prepares to transition into an independent startup, the momentum continues to build. The team has recently recruited 200 participants for an ongoing clinical trial in collaboration with Helsinki University Hospital, aiming to further evaluate the app’s effectiveness. Participants are monitored from three months before to three months after childbirth, with many utilizing activity trackers to enhance data collection. The results thus far are encouraging: app users report a significant reduction in fear of childbirth, especially during critical weeks leading up to delivery. As the team eagerly anticipates final results, the positive feedback from users highlights the necessity of Natal Mind’s innovative approach.Global Recognition and Support
Natal Mind’s journey has not gone unnoticed. The initiative has garnered attention from healthcare professionals across multiple countries, including the UK, US, Canada, South Africa, and more. Insights from obstetricians, midwives, and anaesthetists confirm a universal need for this innovative solution.
In addition to winning the prestigious Polar Bear Pitching competition, Natal Mind is now part of two prominent incubators: the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) and Health Incubator Helsinki. These programs provide crucial mentorship, resources, and opportunities to refine their business model using real-world data, further solidifying their position in the healthcare innovation space.
