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Feminist author Elinor Cleghorn’s book ‘Unwell Women’ tells the story of women’s relationships to medicine. She spent a year researching how “conscious and insidious it was.”
Using her misdiagnosis at the hands of male doctors, Cleghorn found a common thread in which women’s bodies were misunderstood throughout history.
The book serves as a poignant reminder that, despite advances in medicine, women’s health is one of the most underserved areas in global healthcare.
In many parts of the world, health issues specific to women are shrouded in silence, stigma, and societal discomfort.
The Women’s Health Gap: More Than a Medical Issue
The World Economic Forum (WEF) states that women spend 25% more time in poor health than men over their lifetimes.
Still, the investment in women-specific health research and solutions remains disproportionately low. Diseases like endometriosis, fibroids, and heart disease receive far less attention than male-dominated conditions.
Closing the women’s health gap could boost the global economy by $1 trillion by 2040,
according to McKinsey.
And yet, the issue persists. Why?
Breaking the Silence: Taboo and Social Barriers
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine points out that women’s health is clouded by shame and stigma.
Menstruation, menopause, miscarriage, and infertility are rarely discussed openly, even among women.
These taboos not only delay diagnoses but also contribute to poor health-seeking behaviors. For example, many women live with painful periods or pelvic discomfort for years before seeking help, assuming it's “just part of being a woman.”
In lower-income countries, the consequences are more dire. Lack of access to sanitary products, maternal healthcare, and safe abortion services continues to impact women's autonomy.
The Role of Medical Neglect and Misdiagnosis
Research shows women are more often misdiagnosed or have their pain dismissed than men.
A study published in JCOM revealed that medical professionals frequently underestimate women's pain levels. This leads to delays in treatment for serious conditions such as ovarian cancer or autoimmune diseases.
The pattern of dismissal is not just anecdotal; it’s systemic.
Clinical trials have long focused on men, leaving gaps in understanding how diseases and treatments affect women.
A Case Study in Harm
One of the most devastating examples of women’s health being ignored is the transvaginal mesh controversy.
Pelvic mesh implants to treat pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence have caused severe transvaginal mesh complications for thousands of women worldwide.
Women reported chronic pain, mesh erosion, nerve damage, and other transvaginal mesh injuries. In the UK, the scandal was described as a “public health failure” by the National Health Service.
Thousands of transvaginal mesh lawsuits followed. In the U.S.,
transvaginal mesh settlement amounts have ranged from $40,000 to over $450,000, depending on the severity of injuries and complications.
These payouts reflect the physical, emotional, and financial burden women have borne in silence. TorHoerman Law explains that most of the lawsuits were settled. However, vaginal mesh lawyers are still filing cases in state courts.
These cases highlight the need for improved safety testing, gender-specific research, and stronger regulation when it comes to medical devices.
Mental Health: A Silent Epidemic
Another ignored aspect of women’s health is mental health.
Postpartum depression, anxiety, and eating disorders disproportionately affect women but often go undiagnosed or untreated.
Cultural expectations surrounding motherhood, beauty, and caregiving only worsen the strain.
Without support systems or access to therapy, many women suffer in isolation.
Mental health should be treated as urgently and funded as fully as physical health.
How Can We Close the Gap?
Open, honest dialogue is the first step. Menstrual health, menopause, infertility, and sexual health should be as normal to discuss as the flu.
Education in schools, workplaces, and communities can break the stigma.
Governments, pharmaceutical companies, and academic institutions must prioritize research into women-specific conditions. More inclusive clinical trials and gender-sensitive treatment guidelines are essential.
Policy changes and healthcare improvements should begin by listening to women’s real-life experiences. Public consultations and patient advocacy groups must be used as platforms to give women a seat at the table.
The transvaginal mesh lawsuits show that legal accountability is vital to patient safety. Women should have accessible and non-discriminatory pathways to seek justice.
Fact: Women make up over half the world’s population, according to UNICEF. Fact: Yet their health is treated as a niche issue. Fact: It’s not.
Women’s health is a human issue, an economic issue, and a matter of justice. It's time to stand up and be counted as equal counterparts in medical research and testing.
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