Béa Fertility is a startup democratising access to fertility treatment. Set to launch later this year, our kit – available by subscription and delivered to peoples’ doors – will enable couples who are unable to conceive naturally to carry out what’s called “IntraCervical Insemination” (ICI) at home. Béa’s ICI method involves placing a small cup of semen close to the cervix, where it’s left in-situ for 4-12 hours.
Our method will improve the chances of conception by 40% if used over 3 months, and by as much as 60% if used over 6 months. Our kit will be delivered to subscribers each month and will provide users with: two ICI devices, ovulation tests, pregnancy tests, and access to an app to help track ovulation dates and the progress of their fertility journey. The subscription will cost around £300 per month, meaning 5 months of the Béa ICI treatment will be the same price of one round of Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) at a fertility clinic.
How did you come up with the idea for the company?
I have a background in femtech, and my co-founder is an embryologist. For a long time, we have both been acutely aware of the inaccessibility of fertility treatment. NHS provision in the UK is a postcode lottery, and the criteria that must be met to access it are stringent and present a barrier to access for many. For those who decide to go private, clinical treatment can be expensive, invasive and emotionally exhausting.
We decided to pool our expertise to bring a clinically-approved, affordable and inclusive fertility treatment to market, to widen access and create more options for couples and individuals struggling to conceive.
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How has the company evolved during the pandemic?
Our business hasn’t actually been too heavily impacted by COVID. If anything, the pandemic has highlighted how great the need is for more options for people seeking fertility treatment.
Fertility has been in the headlines frequently over the last year, as lots of people have had planned or existing treatment delayed due to COVID. For people desperate to conceive, this must have been heartbreaking. Add to this the financial burden that clinical treatment presents – at a time when many have lost jobs or are worried about their financial future – and it has never been clearer that access to treatment needs to improve. The pandemic has actually highlighted and exacerbated demand for affordable and readily available alternatives to clinical treatment.
It works in our favour that our kit arrives by delivery and is used at home. It makes it COVID-safe and future-proof.
What can we hope to see from Béa Fertility in the future?
We hope to launch in the UK at the end of this year which will be a huge milestone for us. Beyond that, we’re focused on providing our users with a service that is well-rounded and community-led, not only delivering on the treatment element but also providing guidance and support for people to lean on. Eventually we’d like to make our ICI subscription service available internationally, and to expand our offering to include a greater range of fertility products and services to suit different needs.
