Subreddit Identification and Participation Rules for Women's Health Companies

A femtech startup founder messaged me last month, frustrated and confused.

"We got banned from r/TryingForABaby for posting about our fertility tracking app. We were genuinely trying to help. The moderators called us spammers and our brand is now blacklisted across three related subreddits. What did we do wrong?"

I looked at their post history. Their first interaction in the community was: "Hi everyone! We created an app that solves the exact problems you're discussing here. Check it out at [link]. Would love your feedback!"

Classic mistake. They showed up like a door-to-door salesperson at a support group.

Reddit is one of the richest sources of unfiltered consumer insights for women's health companies—but it requires a completely different approach than any other platform. The rules are unwritten, the moderation is strict, and one violation can get your brand permanently banned from communities that represent your exact target audience.

Here's how to do it right.

Why Reddit Matters for Women's Health (And Why You Can't Fake It)

Reddit hosts hundreds of active communities where women discuss health topics they won't discuss anywhere else: fertility struggles, menopause symptoms, postpartum depression, PCOS management, endometriosis pain, pregnancy loss, pelvic floor issues, sexual health concerns.

These conversations are:

Unfiltered. Women share details they'd never share in a focus group or survey. Real symptoms, real frustrations, real product reviews—both positive and brutally honest.

Specific. Unlike Instagram wellness content, Reddit discussions get technical. Women share exact dosages, side effects, what worked and what didn't, with remarkable precision.

Community-validated. When someone recommends a product, others respond with their experiences. You see real consensus and real skepticism—not manipulated reviews.

For women's health companies, Reddit is invaluable. But Reddit communities are fiercely protective against marketing infiltration.

The communities know companies mine their discussions. They know brands lurk. They tolerate it—as long as you follow the rules. Break them, and you're gone.

The Five Non-Negotiable Rules

Here are some important guidelines.

Rule 1: Lurk for at Least 30 Days Before Any Participation

Why this matters: Every subreddit has its own culture, norms, vocabulary, and sensitivities. What's acceptable in r/Mommit is tone-deaf in r/BabyBumps. What works in r/Menopause might offend in r/PCOS.

You need to understand:

• What questions get asked repeatedly
• How the community responds to commercial mentions
• Which brands are respected versus criticized
• What language and tone the community uses
• Who the influential community members are
• What topics are sensitive or triggering

How to lurk effectively:

Read daily for 30+ days. Don't just skim—read comment threads deeply. Notice patterns. Save particularly insightful discussions. Document common pain points, language used to describe problems, and products mentioned (positively and negatively).

Create a "community intelligence" document tracking:

• Top 10 most discussed problems
• Common questions that don't have good answers
• Products/services mentioned and community sentiment
• Gaps where your product could genuinely help
• Red flags (things the community hates about companies)

Example: A menopause app founder lurked in r/Menopause for 45 days and discovered the community repeatedly expressed frustration that "doctors don't take symptoms seriously" and "there's no place to track which interventions are working." Her app addressed both issues. When she eventually participated (following other rules), the community was receptive because she'd identified real, unmet needs—not imposed her solution on them.

Rule 2: Never Lead With Your Product—Lead With Value

Why this matters: Reddit has zero tolerance for self-promotion disguised as helpfulness. Communities can spot it instantly and will ban you permanently.

Wrong approaches:

• "Hi! We created an app for [problem]. Check it out!"
• "We're a company that helps with [issue]. We'd love your feedback!"
• Creating posts that are thinly veiled product pitches
• Commenting on every relevant thread with your solution

Right approaches:

Provide genuine expertise with no product mention. If someone asks about tracking ovulation, provide detailed, accurate information about basal body temperature, cervical mucus, LH testing—with no mention that you have an app. Become known for helpful expertise first.

Share your professional background when relevant, without pitching. "I work in fertility tech and have researched this extensively..." (not "I created a fertility app..."). Establish credibility without self-promotion.

Answer questions thoroughly and specifically. Don't give surface-level answers. Provide the depth and detail that demonstrates real expertise.

Example: A pelvic floor therapy company's founder (a physical therapist) spent months answering questions in r/Mommit about postpartum recovery with zero mention of her company. She explained exercises, addressed concerns, corrected misinformation. Eventually, community members asked if she offered services. Only then did she mention her program—after months of establishing credibility.

Rule 3: Disclose Your Affiliation Immediately When Relevant

Why this matters: Reddit values transparency above all else. If you work for a company and fail to disclose it, you'll be accused of astroturfing (fake grassroots marketing) and banned.

When disclosure is required:

• Anytime you mention your company, product, or service
• When answering questions where your employment might bias your response
• If someone asks if you're affiliated with a brand
• When sharing content your company created

How to disclose properly:

Lead with disclosure: "Full disclosure: I work for [Company]. That said, here's my objective take on [topic]..."

Be specific about your role: "I'm the founder of [Company], so obviously biased, but..." versus trying to hide your connection.

Separate professional knowledge from product promotion: "In my work on fertility tracking (I work for [Company]), I've learned that... [valuable information]. Our app uses this approach, but so do [competitors], and some people prefer [other methods]."

Example: A menstrual cup company's customer service lead participated in r/menstrualcups. Every single comment started with "Disclaimer: I work for [Brand]." She answered questions about menstrual cups generally, not just her brand. She compared her product honestly to competitors. The community respected her transparency and frequently asked her opinion specifically because she'd earned trust.

Rule 4: Participate in 10 Non-Commercial Conversations for Every Commercial Mention

Why this matters: If your entire Reddit presence is about your company, you're a marketer, not a community member. Communities tolerate company participation only if you're contributing to the community beyond self-interest.

The 10:1 rule:

For every comment or post that mentions your product/company, you should have 10+ comments on unrelated topics where you're just being a helpful community member.

Non-commercial participation includes:

• Answering questions completely unrelated to your business
• Offering support to community members going through challenges
• Sharing relevant research or articles (not from your company)
• Participating in community discussions, polls, or conversations
• Celebrating wins with community members
• Providing emotional support in difficult situations

Example: A pregnancy app founder participates in r/BabyBumps answering questions about morning sickness, insurance coverage, pediatrician selection, registry recommendations—topics completely unrelated to her app. She mentions her app maybe once every 15-20 comments, and only when directly relevant and after disclosure. Her account is seen as "community member who happens to work in this space" not "company account doing marketing."

Rule 5: Accept Criticism Gracefully and Never Argue With Community Members

Why this matters: How you handle criticism reveals whether you're there to serve the community or extract value from it.

When your product is mentioned (by others or by you), you will receive criticism:

• "That app is too expensive"
• "The interface is confusing"
• "I tried it and it didn't work for me"
• "There are better alternatives"
• "This feels like a cash grab"

Wrong responses:

• Defending your product aggressively
• Explaining why the criticism is wrong
• Arguing with users about their experience
• Dismissing feedback
• Getting defensive or emotional

Right responses:

Thank them for feedback: "Thanks for sharing your experience. That's really helpful feedback about [specific issue]."

Ask clarifying questions: "Can you tell me more about what didn't work? I'd like to understand the specific issue better."

Acknowledge limitations honestly: "You're right that [criticism] is a real issue. We're working on it, but it's a complex problem and we don't have it solved yet."

Validate their experience: "I'm sorry you had that experience. That's not the outcome we want, and I understand why you'd be frustrated."

Take it offline for support: "I'd love to help troubleshoot if you're willing to DM me. If not, I completely understand—and thanks for the honest feedback regardless."

Example: A fertility app got criticized in r/TryingForABaby: "This app is useless for PCOS because it assumes regular cycles." Instead of defending, the founder responded: "You're absolutely right, and that's a real limitation we haven't addressed. PCOS requires completely different cycle tracking logic. We've heard this from several users and are researching how to handle irregular cycles better. If you're willing to share more about what would actually be helpful, I'd really appreciate the input." The community respected the honest acknowledgment and several users offered detailed suggestions.

The Subreddits That Matter (And Their Specific Cultures)

Here are key women's health subreddits and what you need to know about each:

r/TryingForABaby (324K members): Science-focused, acronym-heavy, zero tolerance for "baby dust" or non-evidence-based advice. Community values data-driven approaches.

r/Menopause (89K members): Support-oriented, exhausted from medical dismissal, extremely helpful to each other. Values honesty about what doesn't work, not just success stories.

r/PCOS (127K members): Frustrated with medical system, seeking community wisdom. Mix of evidence-based discussion and alternative approaches. Very protective against predatory marketing.

r/BabyBumps (483K members): Pregnancy community with daily threads. Organized by trimester and due date. Values humor, support, and real talk over Instagram-perfect pregnancy.

r/Mommit (394K members): Postpartum and parenting community. Raw, honest, often dark humor. Zero tolerance for mom-shaming or toxic positivity.

Each community has different tolerance for company participation, different pain points, and different values. Learn these before engaging.

The ROI: Why Following These Rules Actually Works

When companies follow these rules, the results are remarkable:

You gain insights you'd never get from formal research. Real problems described in users' own language.

You build authentic brand reputation. Being known as "the company that actually listens and helps" creates long-term value.

You identify product improvements before building them. Community feedback is free product research.

You occasionally get organic promotion. When community members trust you, they recommend you unprompted—the most valuable marketing possible.

But only if you follow the rules. Break them once, and your brand is banned from communities representing millions of your target customers.

Is it worth it? Absolutely. But only if you're willing to participate as a community member first and a company second.

Need help developing authentic community engagement strategies for sensitive health topics? Winsome's consulting practice helps women's health companies navigate Reddit and other online communities ethically—building trust, gathering insights, and participating authentically without crossing community boundaries. Let's talk about community engagement that actually works.