Hybrid reproductive care and women's health company Kindbody announced Tuesday that it's launching at-home fertility hormone tests for men and women.

The tests, which measure hormones that are associated with reproductive function and health, can be paired with an in-person or virtual appointment with a Kindbody physician to discuss the results.

The hormone tests are the first entry in the reproductive care company's Kind at Home consumer products division.

"From day one, our vision has been the consumerism of healthcare. Our responsibility is to serve patients wherever they are: virtually, in clinic or at home. With the launch of Kind at Home, Kindbody connects the dots across the fertility care continuum providing high-quality virtual and in-person care from fertility assessments to postpartum," founder and CEO Gina Bartasi said in a statement.

WHY IT MATTERS

Infertility, defined as the inability to get pregnant after at least a year of unprotected sex, is relatively common. According to the CDC, around 6% of married women between the ages of 15 and 44 have trouble getting pregnant after a year of trying.

Male fertility is also an important component. In around 35% of couples with infertility, a male contributing factor is identified along with a female factor. In about 8% of couples, a male factor is the only identified cause.

THE LARGER TREND

In June, Kindbody announced it had raised $62 million in Series C funding, bringing its total raise to $122 million. The Series C built on a $32 million Series B raise from July 2020. 

Digital health startups serving women and others with female biology are scooping up more funding, bringing in $1.3 billion through August 2021, according to a report by Rock Health. However, that is still a relatively small portion of overall digital health deals, which boomed last year.

Other companies focusing on the fertility space include at-home testing company Proov, which scored $9.7 million in Series A funding last month, and kegg, a startup that aims to determine a fertility window by testing cervical fluid, raised $3 million in September. Carrot Fertility, which focuses on fertility-benefits management and delivers medications, scooped up $75 million in August.

Male fertility-focused startups include Legacy and Dadi.