Peripear raises £1.2M pre-seed to prevent perineal tearing in childbirth
What's the deal? PeripearDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has raised £1.2 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed round led by HERmesaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, with participation from female-focused investors and angels, plus non-dilutive funding from Innovate UK's Women in Innovation grantDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
What's the endgame? Co-founded by midwife Nina Van Schaick and medtech entrepreneur Eviatar Natan, Peripear is developing a wearable device that delivers automated perineal thermotherapy during childbirth. The hands-free warmth is designed to help prevent perineal tearing.
Why the need? Warm compresses can help prevent tearing, but hands-on application is not always practical in clinical settings. Perineal trauma occurs in up to 90% of vaginal births, according to the company, contributing to persistent pain, sexual dysfunction, and urinary incontinence — and costing the US healthcare system more than $2.4 billion.
"I spent years seeing women live with pain and injury that was too often treated as part of birth," said Van Schaick. She added that Peripear exists because "the standard of care couldn't possibly be the best we could do."
Where the money goes: The funding will support Peripear's first in-human efficacy study at the National University Hospital System of SingaporeDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, aiming to standardise use in clinical protocols. It has also applied for a NIHR-funded randomised controlled trial.
The signal: The round sits in the top third of comparable deals by size, a notable mark for a pre-seed raise in an underfunded corner of femtech. As investors weigh maternal and pelvic health more seriously, Peripear's clinical-first approach signals where early bets in the space are heading.
Read more: femtechinsider.com
Image credit: Peripear
