The world has made significant progress in advancing women’s right to health over the last twenty-five years. Women are living longer than ever before, yet they are not necessarily living better lives in today’s society. UN data shows that women are still less likely to be taken seriously or accurately diagnosed by doctors.
Entrenched medical bias and systemic gaps continue to affect women’s health, safety, and overall quality of life. Many women find their pain is dismissed and their symptoms are misread by modern healthcare providers. According to UN Women, this reflects a medical system that was historically designed without female needs in mind. These gaps remain embedded in everything from examination tools to the data used for shaping clinical treatments.
Measurable Progress in Maternal Health
There has been measurable progress in sexual and reproductive care between the years 2000 and 2023. Global maternal mortality declined by 40 per cent, dropping from 328 to 197 deaths per 100,000 live births. Additionally, skilled birth attendance rose significantly from 60.9 per cent to 86.6 per cent during this period. More women are also using modern family planning methods, with the proportion increasing to 77.1 per cent.
The Longevity and Health Quality Gap
Women live an average of 3.8 years longer than men but spend more years in poor health. In 2021, women spent an average of 10.9 years in poor health compared to 8.0 years for men. This burden includes chronic conditions such as migraines, depression, and various musculoskeletal disorders. Furthermore, adolescent births in the least developed countries actually increased to 5.6 million in 2024.
Facts About Women’s Health Inequality
- Maternal Health: Maternal mortality rates fell by 40 per cent globally over the last two decades.
- Fertility Trends: Global adolescent fertility rates fell from 66.3 to 38.3 births per 1,000 girls.
- Chronic Pain: Women suffer more from gynaecological diseases and chronic migraines than their male counterparts.
Six uncomfortable truths
1. Outdated tools remain in use
The speculum, widely used in pelvic examinations, has changed little since its design in the 19th century. Despite advances in medicine, many diagnostic tools have not evolved to prioritise women’s comfort, dignity and safety.
Efforts to redesign such tools are emerging, particularly through women-led innovation, but adoption across public healthcare systems remains limited.
2. Longer lives, poorer health
Although women live longer, they spend a greater proportion of their lives in poor health; around 25 per cent more than men.
This often means prolonged experiences of chronic pain, fatigue and untreated conditions, alongside higher rates of misdiagnosis.
3. Research and funding gaps persist
Conditions affecting women are often under-researched and underfunded. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which affects a majority of women and girls, receives comparatively less attention than conditions such as erectile dysfunction.
For decades this imbalance has shaped how women’s pain is understood, or misunderstood, dismissed, and too often normalised and left unaddressed.
Policy changes are emerging. In 2023, Spain introduced paid menstrual leave, joining several countries including Japan, Indonesia and Zambia. However, stigma and limited awareness continue to affect uptake.
4. Delayed diagnosis is common
Endometriosis affects around 1 in 10 women and girls globally – approximately 190 million people. Yet diagnosis can take between four and 12 years.
Delays reflect a broader pattern in which women’s pain is normalised or dismissed, resulting in prolonged suffering and late treatment.
5. Historical exclusion from research
Until 1993, women were largely excluded from clinical trials. As a result, many treatments were developed based on male biology.
This has had lasting effects. Women are more likely to experience adverse drug reactions, and symptoms can be misinterpreted. Conditions that primarily affect women, including autoimmune diseases, remain under-researched.
Gaps persist today, including in emerging technologies such as AI, where datasets may still underrepresent women.
Recent research has highlighted the importance of integrating sex and gender into clinical studies – including during the COVID-19 response – to ensure that treatments are safe and effective for everyone.
Another issue is that women are underrepresented in healthcare leadership. This matters because female doctors and leaders often prioritize patient-centred care, evidence-based practices, and policies that improve women’s health outcomes.
6. Symptoms that don’t match the model
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women. However, widely recognised symptoms are based largely on male patterns.
Women may experience different warning signs, including fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath and pain in the jaw or back. These differences can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment, increasing the risk of death.
Because the signs are less recognised, women are in some cases sent home instead of treated.
Critical Analysis
The data provided in the sources paints a paradoxical picture of global healthcare success and systemic failure. While we have successfully reduced maternal mortality by 40 per cent, we have failed to address the daily quality of life for women. This “poor health gap” suggests that while we are keeping women alive, we are not keeping them well.
The core of the issue is not just access, but the fundamental design of medical institutions. As noted by UN Women, the historical exclusion of women from medical data has created a ripple effect of misdiagnosis. To achieve true health equity, the global community must move beyond reproductive milestones. We must address the chronic conditions and systemic biases that steal over a decade of wellness from women worldwide.
Q&A: Understanding the Gender Health Gap
Q: Why are women’s symptoms often misread?
A: Medical systems and diagnostic tools were historically designed based on male data, leaving women’s unique symptoms misunderstood.
Q: Are health gains for women equal across the globe?
A: No, gains are uneven, as adolescent births continue to rise in the world’s least developed countries.
FAQ
How many years do women spend in poor health?
On average, women spend nearly eleven years in poor health, which is about three years more than men.
Is healthcare considered a fundamental human right?
Yes, healthcare is a human right, but equality in treatment is still not guaranteed for all women.
What are the main risks for adolescent girls?
In some regions, adolescent fertility is rising, creating higher health and safety risks for young women.
