The Pink Pineapple Podcast

The Startup Turning Vaginal pH Into Early Health Insights 🔍

In this episode we are joined by Roswitha Verwer and Dr. Muskaan Bhan from YON E Health. They discuss their innovative medical device designed to measure vaginal pH and basal body temperature, aiming to empower women with early insights into their reproductive health. The conversation delves into the challenges of developing such technology, the personal stories that inspired it, and the broader implications for women's health.

Empowering Sexual Health 🍆: Portaul's Innovative Approach to STI Prevention

In this episode, Doyinsola Kuku, founder of Portaul, shares how her platform is transforming sexual health communication through privacy-first technology, combating stigma, and integrating prevention into everyday social interactions. Discover how Portaul aims to normalize STI testing and empower individuals to take control of their sexual well-being. Key topics * The mission behind Portaul: addressing the $60 billion global STI prevention gap * The three pillars of stigma: social, informational, and conversational, and how the platform addresses each * How Portaul facilitates discreet sharing of test results and real-time exposure alerts * The role of community and user feedback in shaping the platform's features * Privacy and security measures ensuring user trust and confidentiality * Strategies for navigating social stigma and cultural barriers in sexual health * The future vision of integrating Portaul with dating apps and wider health systems * Challenges of marketing sexual health in a stigmatized environment * Lessons from startup scaling: balancing perfectionism with iterative development Resources & Links Portaul Official Website [https://portaul.com/] Portaul on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@portaul] Connect with Doyinsola Kuku LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-doyinsola-kuku-13182a2aa/]

Slice 25 🤖: Can AI End Trial-and-Error Women’s Health Prescribing?

In this episode, we speak with Paulina Cecula, Co-Founder of Dama Health, about why women’s health prescribing still relies too heavily on trial and error, and how AI, data and personalisation could change that. We explore hormone therapy, prescribing inequities, pharmacogenetics, clinical AI, women’s health data gaps, responsible model development, and what it really takes to build in women’s health.

Slice 24 🧠: Inside Mothering Minds: Rebuilding Perinatal Mental Health Support with Tech & Specialist Care

Most women are told to prepare for birth, but far fewer are prepared for the emotional, psychological, and identity shift that can come with motherhood. In this powerful episode, we speak with Vanessa Rio, founder of Mothering Minds, about the hidden mental health crisis affecting new parents and why so many still suffer in silence. Vanessa shares her journey from linguistics and journalism into women’s health innovation, and explains why specialist perinatal mental health support should be seen as essential care, not a luxury. We explore intrusive thoughts, postpartum stigma, overlooked maternal identity shifts, and the concept of matrescence: the profound brain and body transformation that occurs through motherhood. We also discuss how technology can widen access to expert support, why fathers and partners matter in the conversation, and what modern maternity systems should look like if they truly prioritised family wellbeing. A vital listen for parents, clinicians, and anyone interested in where women’s health meets what’s next.

Slice 23 🍆: Building the Future of Sex Tech. Inside Get Rude's Innovation

Explore how Nancy Scotford and her team are developing groundbreaking hardware to improve sexual pleasure, health, and understanding across a woman’s lifetime. This episode reveals the science, technology, and social impact behind their innovative approach. In this episode: * Nancy shares how Get Rude's device focuses on sustaining and enhancing the pleasure state, rather than quick orgasms typical of traditional sex toys. * The importance of personalized and micro-erogenous zone targeting, and how real-time measurement enables tailored experiences. * The potential of long-term health insights from sexual response data, including links to sleep, heart rate variability, and overall wellbeing. * Challenges of hardware development, data security, user privacy, and navigating regulatory pathways towards medical device classification. * Marketing strategies amidst societal taboos and the creative workaround using brand naming to share impactful health data. * The future vision: integrating with wearables, screening for sexual dysfunction, and expanding inclusivity for diverse genders and experiences. * Nancy's advice for overcoming shame and seeking support for sexual dissatisfaction or dysfunction. * The journey of building a groundbreaking product in an underserved, taboo space and the motivation that drives her mission.