A woman's worth in healthcare

From new policy shifts to expanded access to care, 2025 has marked a pivotal period for women’s health in Australia. Progress in obstetrics and gynaecology has been both long-awaited and encouraging. But while recent developments are commendable, they also highlight how far we still have to go. A deeper, more inclusive investment is needed – one that truly acknowledges the complex and specific needs of half our population.

A woman’s worth

Women make up 50% of the population, yet their health needs have historically been underfunded, undervalued and shrouded in silence. Fertility garners attention – perhaps because of male involvement – but conditions such as pelvic organ prolapse, incontinence, chronic pelvic pain and menopause remain taboo. The silence surrounding these issues is more than cultural; it’s systemic. Too often, women are valued only when trying to conceive or carrying a child – not for their individual health and well-being.

As a result, many women find their medical needs overlooked when childbearing is no longer possible. Postnatal pelvic floor disorders, menopausal symptoms and long-term complications receive limited attention and support. If we are to build an equitable healthcare system, a woman’s worth must not be tied solely to her reproductive status.

Overdue endometriosis and pelvic treatments 

Historically invisible and misunderstood, endometriosis and pelvic pain are finally receiving the attention and multidisciplinary care they require. A major step forward was the further rollout in May 2025 of the National Endometriosis Action Plan, which was introduced in 2018. This year, targeted Medicare funding has expanded, providing real relief for those living with endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain. 

Specialised pelvic pain clinics that bring together gynaecologists, physiotherapists, psychologists and pain specialists offer a truly biopsychosocial model of care. Diagnostic delays, once particularly common among adolescents and young adults, are being addressed through increased awareness and earlier intervention.

Another important development was the expansion of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to include advanced oral GnRH antagonists. These better-tolerated, more effective treatments for endometriosis offer new hope for people living with this condition. Crucially, this sends a broader message: gynaecological disorders are chronic and real, and deserving of both clinical and policy-level attention. But this momentum must carry forward to other under-recognised conditions that are still falling through the cracks.

Improving health literacy 

Women’s health decisions begin with education. Improved health literacy – starting in schools – leads to smarter healthcare choices and earlier care-seeking. The Periods, Pain and Endometriosis Schools Program (PPEPTalk) delivered by the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia is reaching 20% of Australian teens. It is an excellent model for national implementation.

The taboo continues

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) affects as many as one in three women after childbirth. Meanwhile, women’s chances of experiencing stress urinary incontinence peak in their 30s – just as they balance careers, caregiving and personal growth. These are not niche issues. They are widespread and life-altering, yet are insufficiently addressed.

Access to conservative therapies such as pelvic floor physiotherapy, incontinence nurses and affordable pessaries varies widely across the country. Many women don’t know that early intervention is possible and many health professionals lack up-to-date training. Without more investment in research, education and access, we’ll continue to see unnecessary surgeries and ongoing impairments in quality of life.

The overlooked transition 

Menopause is universal. Every woman who lives long enough will experience it, but it remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. Symptoms like hot flushes, cognitive shifts, joint pain and mood changes are too often misattributed or dismissed. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) remains underutilised, partly due to persistent myths – even among clinicians. 

Women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds face added challenges, including language barriers, stigma and inadequate access. 
We need a new model: menopause clinics, GP training and public education campaigns. This is not a footnote in women’s lives. It is a critical chapter that deserves medical and emotional support.

Innovation requires infrastructure 

Every cell in a woman’s body knows that it is female. We cannot assume that symptoms, diseases and responses to treatment will mirror those in males. Medical trials are often performed with the assumption that both men and women will have the same response or reaction. Innovations tailored specifically for women are urgently needed –and they’re emerging, including here in South Australia.

One example is the neuroimmune-modulating intrauterine device in development by Adelaide’s A/Prof Susan Evans of Alyra Biotech represents a new frontier in managing central immune symptoms in pelvic pain. A/Prof Evans founded Alyra Biotech to develop new products to help women who experience the severe pain that results from excessive immune activation in the uterus. Patents have been awarded in the United States, China and Australia with further patent jurisdictions pending. 

Likewise, the work of my company SmartFEM in developing the whole blood autologous graft, a regenerative and biologically harmonious alternative to other tissue augmenting products such as biological grafts or mesh. Using a woman’s own blood to form a natural graft, it encourages tissue regeneration without foreign material, offering a safer and more personalised treatment for prolapse. The SmartFEM product gained TGA approval in late 2024.
These innovations are not futuristic – they are already taking shape. But they cannot thrive without robust support. 

Transformative clinical solutions need systemic backing. Research, translation and equitable access all rely on government funding, streamlined regulation and national commitment. Without these, promising developments risk stalling before they can reach patients.

Australia has the research talent, technological infrastructure and willpower to lead a global revolution in women’s health. What we need now is the political will and financial commitment to sustain it.

Changing the culture

We must change how we talk about women’s health. Conditions such as endometriosis are not personal inconveniences – they are public health priorities. From adolescence to post-menopause, care must be embedded across the entire health system.

As clinicians, we witness daily how delays in care, fragmented systems, and silenced suffering impact women’s lives. But we also witness how lives transform when women are heard, believed, and treated with dignity. That transformation must extend beyond the clinic and into national health policy.

The road ahead

This year has shown what is possible when we prioritise and invest in women’s health. But we must not stop here. Every condition, whether common or stigmatised, deserves evidence-based care and national attention. Half the population cannot continue to be underserved.

Women are not a special interest group. They are the backbone of our society, families, and future. It’s time our healthcare system reflected that truth—with action, funding, and innovation.