Uma - Ready for anything to come

Laura Diez

Startup Stories

Pregnancy is always something very special and, above all, individual. Unfortunately, countless women struggle with confusing and contradictory information during the course of their pregnancy. In addition, they are often not trusted to make self-determined decisions that suit them and their pregnancy. Until now, there have been many lifestyle products, but no digital care solution for pregnant women.

Our network startup uma is now proactively countering this with the app of the same name. It offers secure information - anytime, anywhere.

"We want to give pregnant women everything they need to experience this time in a self-determined and safe way", says Mirjam Peters, co-founder of the startup uma, in an interview with 5-HT.

Mirjam Peters, co-founder of the startup uma

Digital care offerings for the time around birth

The uma app offers answers to pregnant women's questions and is also suitable for high-risk pregnancies. All content (articles, podcasts and videos) has a scientific claim and is guideline-based. 

"We offer help with symptoms. Pregnant women can record their mood history, search for symptoms and complaints and receive appropriate background information, tips & tricks on treatment options, exercises & medications," says Mirjam Peters.

Uma accompanies at eye level. This also includes a delimiting and value-neutral language, as well as design. "We want to encourage the users to make self-determined decisions for pregnancy and preventive care," explains Mirjam. 

Benefits proven in a study

In a randomized controlled pilot study, we were able to demonstrate a reduction in stress, a reduction in psychological and physical distress symptoms (health-related quality of life), and an increase in self-efficacy. Recommended duration of use: 15 to 30 minutes a week.

uma Dashboard

It's the combination that matters - medicine, psychology, social and prevention

"Pregnant women are an important target group in healthcare. Pregnancy offers a special window of opportunity to impact the health of pregnant women and their babies. Solutions that are purely medical in nature have yielded little improvement in recent years. At uma, medicine, psychology, social issues and prevention come together to provide effective all-round care. This creates satisfied pregnant women, can improve the misuse and overuse of care in Germany and thus save costs.

At uma, we have the benefits of our product measured by scientific studies and adhere to healthcare data protection standards. We provide pregnant women with clarity and unbiased information about their health."

Founding team (from left to right): Mirjam Peters, Elena Kirchner and Jonah Polack 

"Our path to health care"

"The idea for uma builds on Mirjam Peters' PhD, in which she comprehensively studied the needs of women in the period around childbirth and their demand for high-quality healthcare. In order to turn this idea into a successful digital product, a team with the same enthusiasm for female health topics and entrepreneurship has come together, whose competencies complement each other perfectly. Mirjam Peters as a midwife scientist, Elena Kirchner with design and marketing experience from the startup sector for pregnant women and newborns, and Jonah Polack as an experienced software developer."

Anchoring pregnancy at the center of healthcare in the future

"Digital care is being promoted in therapy and prevention through strong legislative initiatives. Pregnancy is not a disease and yet pregnancy care is not just prevention. It is outside the logic of our healthcare system and thus currently on the fringes of digital care offerings. Help us lift it into the center of care! Then, in three years, we can offer care to all pregnant women - with or at risk - and families in postpartum and breastfeeding. Together with the 5-HT Digital Hub Chemistry & Health, we want to be an active part of improving and digitizing our healthcare system!"

The entire uma team
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