What we talk about when we talk about Women's Health

Hello everyone,

For Women’s Health month we’ve gathered updates on some of the latest news, developments and research around the health and wellbeing of women.

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Submitted by Julie

“Women’s health” doesn’t just mean the bits and bobs that are physically different on a woman’s anatomy versus a man’s. In fact, a McKinsey analysis showed that most of the women’s health burden is associated with human conditions (not those unique to women). This draws from four causes: science related to women’s health, levels and types of care provided to women versus men, investments in women’s health, and data associated with women’s health.

More here (McKinsey).??

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Submitted by Michele

Wearables Aim To Narrow The Knowledge Gap Created By A Lack Of Female-Focused Research

“Female health conditions receive only one percent of global healthcare research funding, which has created a significant knowledge gap that hinders women from fully understanding basic information about their bodies,” said Neta Gotleib, product manager for women’s health at Oura, a smart ring maker.

To kick off Women’s Health Month, Oura has launched “Be the Expert in You,” a month-long campaign dedicated to women’s body literacy as it rolls out a number of features dedicated to female health.

Oura recently launched features including its Pregnancy Insights tool, which tracks gestational age and provides weekly updates about other physiological changes. The Oura Ring is also the first wearable to integrate with the FDA-cleared birth control app Natural Cycles. Oura also offers Cycle Insights which provides users with info about the details of their menstrual cycles including regularity and cycle length.

While many brands will launch campaigns for Women’s Health Month, Oura’s new product launches will go a step further in filling a gap in women’s healthcare via new features created specifically for their needs.

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Submitted by Noah

Hormone Therapy For Menopause Treatment

Menopause can be a long and debilitating condition for many women, and it might be time to reconsider hormone therapy as a treatment option. According to a new review published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the benefits of hormone replacement therapy outweigh the risks—for women in early menopause, specifically. Common symptoms can include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, brain fog, moodiness, insomnia and more. The women having the most severe symptoms, such as hot flashes and insomnia, may benefit the most from hormone therapy. Another area which hormone therapy can benefit menopausal women is bone health. Women may not have any symptoms of bone loss during perimenopause, but they still start to lose bone, which can lead to serious conditions like osteoporosis. However, women that start hormone therapy between 50 and 60 years old have a 33% decreased risk of fracture. Finally, hormone therapy can be beneficial in breast cancer treatment and prevention. Women who take estrogen alone have a 20% decreased risk of getting breast cancer. For women with breast cancer who are taking hormone therapy, they have a 40% decreased risk of dying from breast cancer. Evidently, hormone therapy has potential to help many women in early menopause.

Submitted by Chris M.

TIME100 Health List: 7 Women Leading the Charge for Global Women’s Health

TIME unveiled its inaugural TIME100 Health list, spotlighting the 100 most influential individuals in the realm of health. To assemble this list, TIME reporters and editors spent months consulting sources and experts around the world to select the 100 individuals who are most influential in the world of health right now. Among these remarkable individuals, several women stand out for their contributions to women’s health and well-being.

• Raluca Cohen: Revolutionizing Diagnostics with Saliva - Raluca Cohen and her team at Salignostics have turned the tide with their groundbreaking innovation, the SaliStick oral pregnancy test. By harnessing the power of saliva, Cohen has made pregnancy testing more accessible and convenient, offering a glimpse into the vast potential of saliva-based diagnostics beyond just pregnancy.
• Dr. Uché Blackstock: Championing Health Equity - Dr. Uché Blackstock, CEO of Advancing Health Equity, is on a mission to address the stark racial disparities in healthcare. Recognizing the profound underrepresentation of Black women in medicine, Blackstock’s consultancy works with major institutions to eradicate unconscious biases and promote equitable healthcare practices.
• Halle Berry: Amplifying the Voices of Menopausal Women - Renowned actor and director Halle Berry has emerged as a leading voice in advocating for menopausal women’s rights. Through her wellness platform, Re-Spin, Berry seeks to destigmatize menopause and elevate public awareness of its challenges. Her efforts extend to Capitol Hill, where she lobbies for increased research and support for midlife women’s health.
• Dr. Alaa Murabit: Redefining Women’s Health as Economic Empowerment - As the director of global health advocacy at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Alaa Murabit reframes women’s health as a catalyst for economic growth. By emphasizing the economic benefits of closing the gender health gap, Murabit advocates for increased investments in women’s healthcare infrastructure worldwide.
• Jaha Dukureh: Fighting to End Female Genital Mutilation - Jaha Dukureh, founder of Safe Hands for Girls, is at the forefront of the battle against female genital mutilation (FGM). Her tireless advocacy efforts have led to significant strides in ending this harmful practice, including the landmark ban on FGM in her native Gambia.
• Rebeca Ramos: Securing Reproductive Rights in Mexico - Rebeca Ramos, executive director of GIRE, played a pivotal role in overturning Mexico’s abortion laws, marking a historic victory for reproductive rights. Her advocacy extends beyond legal reforms, encompassing grassroots activism and support for women facing reproductive health challenges.
• Carolee Lee: Driving Investments in Women’s Health Research - Carolee Lee, founder of Women’s Health Access Matters (WHAM), is on a mission to close the gender gap in medical research funding. Through innovative collaborations and data-driven advocacy, Lee advocates for increased investments in women’s health research, citing the potential economic benefits of prioritizing women’s healthcare.

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Submitted by Pete

New Collective Of Women's Health Companies Aims To Scale Access To Specialty Care

Dubbed the Wonder Woman Collective, its founding members are Paloma Health, Neura Health, LEVY Health, Seven Starling and Origin. Together, they have raised a combined $35 million and represent upward of 80 million covered lives, executives said.?The group believes that no one company can serve all complex needs. It aims to deliver streamlined specialty care by driving early diagnosis and integrating treatments for conditions like migraine, hypothyroidism, polycystic ovary syndrome and more. As part of the partnership, the companies will share medical records and work to support R&D in women’s health.

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Study Of 100K Black Women Launches To Figure Out Why More Black Women Are Getting Cancer

VOICES of Black Women is described by the American Cancer Society as the largest-ever study of cancer risk and outcomes in Black women in the United States. The study will collect the data of 100,000 Black women ages 25 to 55 over a period of 30 years, looking at everything from their medical history to their income, environment, lifestyle and more, according to Dr. Alpa Patel, senior vice president of population science at the ACS.

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May 9, 2024 | 6.17