A recent New Yorker article, “The Billionaires’ Vagina Club,” offers an unusual window into where women’s health may be heading.

The story profiles Dr. Sally Greenwald, a Stanford-based gynecologist whose concierge practice serves high-powered women in Silicon Valley. Her philosophy is simple but powerful: “Sexual health is health.” Her patients are not simply looking to treat disease. They want to understand their bodies, navigate perimenopause and menopause, preserve sexual health, and maintain quality of life as they age. This is part of a much bigger shift.

From treating symptoms to optimizing health

For decades, women have often been told that symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause are simply something they have to accept. The model described in the article is very different. It is proactive, personalized and data-driven. Instead of waiting for a problem to become severe, the goal is to understand what is happening in the body and intervene earlier. That approach is increasingly relevant as women live longer, work longer and expect to remain active and healthy for decades after their reproductive years.

The article describes this as moving beyond lifespan toward what Greenwald calls “sexspan” – maintaining sexual health and function as we age.

But there is a fundamental problem. What happens when the best care is only available to the wealthiest? Greenwald’s concierge practice reportedly costs tens of thousands of dollars a year and has a waiting list. That creates a striking paradox.

We now have more knowledge, research and technology around women’s health than ever before. Yet access to highly personalized care can still depend on how much someone can afford. The question, therefore, should not be: Can wealthy women access personalized women’s health? It should be: How do we make personalized women’s health accessible to millions of women?

This is where technology can change the equation. 

One of the most revealing moments in the article comes when Greenwald is asked about hormone-monitoring apps. Her answer is blunt: the technology is not yet good enough. And then she says something even more interesting: “Please, make a good app … for perimenopause and menopause.” (The New Yorker) For us, this is the real story. The opportunity is not to replace doctors.

It is to build the digital layer that helps women understand their own health, recognize patterns, access reliable information and know when professional support may be appropriate.

Menstrual data is not just about periods

At Womeno, we believe the menstrual cycle is one of the most valuable longitudinal signals available to women. Cycle data can help women understand changes over time – particularly as they move from reproductive years into perimenopause and menopause. That means cycle tracking should not be viewed simply as a fertility tool. It can become part of a much broader women’s health data journey. From adolescence, through reproductive years, into perimenopause, menopause and healthy aging. The goal is not to collect data for the sake of collecting data. The goal is to turn data into understanding, earlier awareness and better conversations with healthcare professionals.

The future shouldn’t be concierge-only

The most interesting message from The New Yorker is not really about billionaires, Silicon Valley or even sexual health.It is about the direction of healthcare.

Personalized care is becoming the expectation.

Women are increasingly asking:

•⁠ What is happening to my body?

•⁠ ⁠Is this normal?

•⁠ What can I do earlier?

•⁠ Which information can I trust?

•⁠ How can I stay healthy and active as I age?

•⁠   When should I seek professional help?

Today, women with significant resources can sometimes find answers through highly personalized concierge medicine.The next step is to make the knowledge, personalization and prevention available much more broadly.

That is the opportunity we see at Womeno.

** Not women’s health for the few. Women’s health intelligence for every woman. **

Source

The New Yorker, June 2026 https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/07/06/the-billionaires-vagina-club