Wellness at fingertips

Ilove9months is a a connected health platform that is associated with two products which can be used either as a single system or in combination - The first being a Doctor’s App which increases access to quality healthcare through tele consultation and incorporates systems like appointment scheduling, digital prescription, safety and security of client records.

The next is a wellness app which engages and empowers women to make the right choices during their journey to motherhood. The App has a plethora of wellness information to make pregnancy, childbirth and post-partum safe and healthy to achieve better health outcomes. 4000+ minutes of research-based wellness/fitness videos for pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and post pregnancy have been created.

The beta launch of the Ilove9months App was held in April 2017, with 1st version launch in November 2017. The founders wanted every woman to have easy access to services that can help achieve the best outcome for themselves and their children and thus make maternal wellness accessible, affordable and available ,breaking demographic and geographical barriers throughtheir platform.

Anjali Raj, COO & Co founder is a business graduate and currently a UK Funded Researcher, whose field of expertise is an international accreditation in childbirth and lactation education. She gave wings to this “thought” and came up with the idea of a mobile application specific to wellness/fitness during the maternity period to solve the “conundrum” of accessibility and affordability.

As time progressed, with greater understanding and latest digital technologies, the concept of “connected Health” was born to link the client with various Health Care professionals to drive an integrated care delivery and better health outcomes.

The app has a simple design and its usability spans across three stages from planning to conceive to pregnancy and then motherhood and baby care. Currently, In India, mostly the high income, crème of the society have access to maternity wellness services in niche hospitals and independent providers at a luxury price.

However, a vast majority is either not aware of it or are unable to afford these services. The information exchange is largely dependent on word of mouth, family members and books which may not be evidence based. Ilove9months services will be translated into local languages which will help in breaking demographic and geographic barriers.

Apart from Ganga and Anjali, the two other people, who keep the company together are Suma Ajith and Rajkumar VK. Suma Ajith, Co-Founder & Director-Operations, has 21+ years of administration and operational experience in the Australian and Indian healthcare system.

Rajkumar VK, Co-Founder & CEO, brings in 25+ years of experience in P&L, S&M and Strategy having worked in Leadership Roles in Telecom & Retail. One major challenge for them was to gain the support of the medical professionals to advocate the concept of “maternal Wellness Services” across India.

The Metro customer and Health care professional are quite warmed up to this concept, however, in Tie2, 3 and rural areas, challenges are aplenty. As a startup, maximum output with limited funds is another big challenge, which they are confident of overcoming.

By Ishita Lamba