Margot Robbie’s Barbie character and the discomfort surrounding visits to the gynecologist for those with a vagina are highlighted in this article. The use of the speculum, a duck-billed, stainless steel device invented over 150 years ago by J. Marion Sims, is a point of contention for many women. Sims, known as the “father of gynecology,” notoriously experimented on enslaved women without anesthesia or consent. Despite his controversial legacy, the speculum remains a standard tool used in gynecological exams, with over 60 million women undergoing pelvic exams each year. This troubling statistic inspired Fahti Khosrowshahi to create Nella, a company aiming to revolutionize the speculum.
The traditional speculum design has remained largely unchanged for decades, leading many women to dread their gynecological appointments. For Khosrowshahi, who struggled with infertility, pelvic exams were particularly anxiety-inducing. Women with a history of sexual trauma or those going through menopause may also find these exams physically painful. Dr. Mary Rosser, an ob-gyn at Columbia University, emphasizes the vulnerability women experience during these exams, which can lead to patients skipping appointments and risking their health. Khosrowshahi’s mission with Nella was to create a more comfortable and modernized speculum that prioritizes patient comfort and well-being.
Khosrowshahi’s personal experiences with fertility treatments and uncomfortable pelvic exams fueled her desire to develop a better speculum. She conducted market research that revealed a widespread dislike for the traditional speculum among women. This prompted her to found Nella and collaborate with medical professionals to design a new speculum that addresses common issues with the existing tool. The team focused on creating a narrow, temperature-neutral, and comfortable speculum that would be ergonomic for doctors and patients alike. Additionally, the new speculum had to be silent, as the noise of the traditional instrument can be triggering for some individuals.
Nella’s design process involved over 150 rounds of prototyping, with feedback from doctors and patients guiding the evolution of the product. The team strived to create a speculum that would make pelvic exams more tolerable and less intimidating for women. By prioritizing patient comfort and incorporating modern design principles, Nella seeks to revolutionize the gynecological experience for millions of women. The goal is to replace the outdated and often uncomfortable traditional speculum with a more user-friendly and empowering alternative that addresses the physical and emotional needs of patients during gynecological exams. Through innovation and a commitment to patient-centered design, Nella aims to improve the overall healthcare experience for women.
