In this episode, I spoke with Ashley Crafton, CEO of Galena Innovations, about her journey from labor and delivery nurse to medical device innovator. Ashley shared how she developed the Hannah Cervical Cup to prevent preterm labor, inspired by her experiences caring for women losing babies. We discussed her growth as an entrepreneur, including pitching techniques and pursuing further education.

Ashley emphasized the need to address four critical areas in maternal health: mental health disorders, postpartum hemorrhage, gestational hypertension, and preterm birth. Her story exemplifies how healthcare professionals can drive change by identifying problems and developing practical solutions in the medical field.

Timestamps:

(05:30) - The Problem of Preterm Birth 

(07:37) - Developing the Hannah Cervical Cup

(12:30) - Overcoming Challenges as an Entrepreneur

(19:00) - How the Cervix Works During Pregnancy

(37:14) - Education for Medical Device Entrepreneurs

(46:51) - Four Key Areas to Improve Maternal Health

Host Bio:

This podcast is hosted by Sheree Dibiase, PT ICLM. She is a nationally recognized women's health physical therapist who owns seven private clinics — one of the biggest networks in the US. She has spent 30+ years practicing in the oncology, pelvic floor, and prenatal postpartum healthcare spaces. She was also a professor for seven years at Loma Linda University where she taught kinesiology.

Brought to you by...

https://lakecitypt.com/ - Women's health physical therapy.

https://pelvicfloorpro.com/ - Pelvic floor physical therapy from home.

Keywords:

Maternal health, preterm labor, medical device innovation, nursing, entrepreneurship, cervical cup, collagen research, pitch competitions, grant funding, Johns Hopkins, NIH grants, mental health, postpartum care, labor and delivery, women's health, medical research, startup funding, healthcare innovation, pregnancy complications, medical education