Emme
Each year, an estimated 10 million people in the US take birth control pills. But remembering to take each pill can be challenging, and 80 percent of people miss at least one pill per month. That leads to an estimated one million unplanned pregnancies and may cause complications for those who take the pill for other health reasons. To address this, the company Emme has just launched a new smart case that reminds users to take their pill daily.
The $99 Emme Smart Case records the pills you take -- and those you miss -- and automatically updates a companion iOS app via Bluetooth. The app provides daily reminders -- most pills are more effective when they’re taken around the same time every day -- that auto-update when you change time zones. It also offers real-time guidance if you miss a pill, and you can track things like your mood and pill side effects.
Emme isn’t the first company to develop a smart birth control case, but this is one of the nicer looking versions. It is both sleeker than some smart cases and more substantial than others. While period- and fertility-tracking apps have seen a resurgence in the past year or so, we’ve seen less development around apps and devices meant to help those taking the pill — and other women’s health tech. If devices like Emme catch on, we might start to see more options.