Published on: 2026-04-07
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Women today live longer than ever before in history, but not necessarily better. And if someone claims that gender equality has already been achieved or that the question is “too much,” just take a look at healthcare – a basic human right that is still not accessible to everyone.
Women around the world face the fact that their complaints do not receive proper attention, symptoms are misinterpreted, and diseases are diagnosed too late. In the healthcare system, shortcomings affecting women’s health, safety, and quality of life accumulate from an early age. This is largely due to the medical system not taking into account the specific characteristics of the female body.
1. The volume of gynecological examinations has barely changed in almost 150 years
A gynecological mirror is an instrument used for examining the pelvic organs and has practically not changed since its appearance in the 19th century, a time when antibiotics and anesthesia did not yet exist, and women in most countries were denied the right to vote. For generations, women were led to believe that discomfort is normal and an integral part of the experience.
The situation is gradually changing: startups founded by women are rethinking the practice of gynecological examinations, paying more attention to comfort and safety. However, the changes occur slowly, and new tools are still rarely used in the state healthcare system.
2. Women live longer, but not necessarily healthier
Women live longer than men: on average 73.8 years versus 68.4. However, if you compare the time in life during which various diseases occur, women have 25 percent more of it.
That is, a longer life does not necessarily mean better quality. On the contrary, for many women it simply means that they live longer in conditions where they are ignored, not believed, and their problems are left without proper attention, including in the healthcare system.
3. If the problem concerns a woman, she is often left without attention. If it is a man, his study receives funding here as well.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects most women and girls. For many, it means pain, fatigue, and emotional tension that can disrupt their usual rhythm of life for several days every month. At the same time, erectile dysfunction affects a significantly smaller number of men, but this condition receives much more attention in research.
For decades, this imbalance has influenced how pain, which women experience, is perceived: it is often underestimated, misinterpreted, and neglected.
In 2023, Spain became the first country in Europe to introduce paid menstrual leave, joining Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Zambia. The new law recognizes that menstrual pain can be severe and requires medical support and recovery time.
However, the fact of the law being passed does not yet mean that it works in practice. After its introduction, only a few use it, including because of the persistent stigma that prevents women from taking the leave to which they are entitled.
That is why it is very important now not only to pass laws, but also to openly talk about the problem: to raise awareness among medical specialists and to formulate an approach in which the needs of women’s health are perceived as natural and deserving of attention.
4. Sometimes women have to wait almost ten years for a diagnosis
Endometriosis affects every tenth woman and girl in the world — that’s about 190 million people. Despite this, on average, it takes from 4 to 12 years to diagnose and begin treatment. During all this time, women live with chronic pain and fatigue, yet they are often told that everything is fine with them and that such pain is normal.
Diseases like endometriosis are actually not uncommon at all. The problem is that women’s conditions are still often underestimated, ignored, or misdiagnosed. As a result, the diagnosis is often made too late.
5. Until the 1990s, women were almost not included in medical research
Until 1993, women practically did not participate at all in clinical trials. This means that for decades, treatments and medications were developed taking into account only the male body, and there was no comprehensive testing on women: dosages were calculated based on male physiology, symptoms were described based on male experience, and side effects in women often went unnoticed.
The consequences of such denial are still felt today. Thus, women more often face adverse reactions to medications, and these symptoms are more frequently misinterpreted, while diseases that predominantly affect women remain insufficiently studied.
Today these gaps still persist and manifest in new forms. In particular, in clinical research, algorithms and artificial intelligence tools still lack data on women, which significantly affects how diseases are studied, diagnosed, and treated.
Recent studies show that when conducting clinical research, it is important to consider sex and gender to ensure that treatment is safe and effective for everyone.
Another problem is that women are underrepresented in leadership positions in the healthcare field. This is important because female doctors and managers more often focus on patient-centered, evidence-based medicine and solutions that improve women’s health outcomes. For example, in the US, among elderly patients treated by women, mortality and readmission rates were significantly lower.
6. If your symptoms do not match the classic description, this could be life-threatening for you
Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of mortality among women. However, the description of the main symptoms, such as chest pain radiating to the arm, is largely based on how heart attacks manifest in men. In women, however, symptoms may be different: fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, or pain in the jaw and back.
Since such signs are recognized less often, women receive timely assistance less frequently, which can save lives, for example, angioplasty or stent placement. As a result, the risk of death after a heart attack in women is higher than in men. Moreover, in some cases, women are simply sent home instead of receiving necessary treatment.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It represents an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.