Empowering Reproductive Health: Audrey Tsang’s Vision at the Helm of Clue

Audrey Tsang is the CEO of Clue, a menstrual and reproductive health app trusted by over 10m women and people with cycles around the world. Clue exists to help them make informed choices and navigate changes, from the first period to the last. 

“I come from a product background (I was previously Chief Product Officer at Clue) so I’m always focused on the big picture of making sure we’re building something users really love–that truly helps them understand their bodies better–and then building a sustainable business based on that,” says Tsang.

After 15 years in Silicon Valley, Tsang met Clue’s Co-Founder, Ida Tin. 

“I was so energised by her vision of empowering women and people with cycles to take charge of their own reproductive health and choices and the diverse and creative culture behind the vision. Tech is an incredible equaliser and to be able to build tech that serves women and moves female health forward, was too exciting an opportunity to turn down.”

Here, she tells us more about FemTech, perimenopause and more. 
 

Hi Audrey! Tell us about FemTech.

“Quite simply, it’s short for ‘female technology’. It’s a term that was coined by Clue’s Co-Founder, Ida Tin, to describe and unify the growing category of companies and technologies dedicated to women’s health and research. Giving it a name has helped to fuel growth and investment in the sector. 

“While Clue pioneered FemTech as the first data-driven, science-based period tracker, it’s wonderful to see the rapid growth and innovation in this industry. There are now hundreds of startups and companies developing products and solutions to improve female health and fill the gaps in traditional healthcare – and that’s a great thing for all of us.”

What is perimenopause?

“Perimenopause is the transitional time before menopause. It starts on average four years prior to menopause, typically during your 40s but as early as your 30s, and it could last as little as a few months, or it could last up to 10 years. 

“While menopause is often used as a catch-all term, it actually only describes the specific point in time when your menstrual cycles end and you haven’t had a period for a year. The confusion between menopause and perimenopause and the lack of education around it hasn’t been doing us any favours. 

“The big hormonal changes that occur during perimenopause come with a wide range of symptoms that can vary in severity and be very disorienting and confusing if you’re experiencing it and don’t know what it is. Symptoms include hot flashes, sweating, disturbed sleep, mood changes, anxiety, migraines, increased forgetfulness, changes in sexual desire, vaginal dryness and itchiness, lowered fertility/infertility and increased abdominal body fat. Some of these symptoms can also continue or evolve post-menopause.

“People experiencing perimenopausal changes often feel confused, dismissed and overlooked. The intensity, timing and length of perimenopause symptoms can be so variable, that people going through it are often left with more questions than answers or solutions and support. Despite being a whole life stage of significant physical and mental change (due to shifts in hormones) perimenopause research and education has historically been largely absent. 

“We have launched Clue Perimenopause to support anyone going through this transitional time. The Clue Perimenopause mode puts science-based symptom tracking, analysis and information at users’ fingertips. By having a self-tracked history which highlights significant changes and a health record to help navigate those changes, Clue helps empower users to take charge of their health and navigate perimenopause. The mode includes 14 new perimenopause-specific tracking options including: hot flashes, night sweats, brain fog, HRT, vaginal dryness and much more.”