It’s telling of our maturity as a society that infertility is a concept approached rarely with anything but awkwardness and uncertainty.
The ability to have children is integral to our society, but when someone faces infertility, support systems can prove scarce, fertility services can make patients feel adrift, mental health support is rare, patient education is abysmal and costs are obfuscated; the list goes on and on.
Fear, uncertainty and doubt rule in the realm of reproductive healthcare, and it’s beyond any one person or company to remedy this.
Kindbody, however, is trying. The women behind this startup know first hand how harrowing the fertility journey can be, and they have put together a platform that confronts and addresses its problems head-on.
The startup’s clinics are modern and inviting, its doctors eschew traditional white coats to meet their patients eye-to-eye, it builds mental health plans for every patient, its website is clean, informative and actually has prices clearly outlined so patients can plan for the expenses. Kindbody’s desks even sport rounded corners in an effort to remove hierarchy from the care.
The company is attacking the fertility market from many angles, but its focus is clear: making the patient feel acknowledged, cared for and comfortable. And that approach has paid off — the company has raised $154.7 million so far, and its business is booming at its facilities across the United States.
Kindbody’s valuation comfortably gives it unicorn status, but in the realm of fertility, the company may truly be a unicorn.
TC’s writer and analyst for this TC-1 is Rae Witte. She has written extensively on technology, business and culture for publications like TC as well as the Wall Street Journal, Vogue Business, and our corporate sister publication, Engadget. The lead editor of this package was Ram Iyer, the series editors were Henry Pickavet and Alex Wilhelm, the copy editor was Richard Dal Porto and original illustrations were created by Nigel Sussman.
Kindbody had no say in the content of this analysis and did not get advance access to it. Witte has no financial ties to Kindbody or other conflicts of interest to disclose.
The Kindbody TC-1 comprises three main articles numbering 8,200 words and a reading time of about 30 minutes. Here’s what’s in the bank:
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