Why Is Women’s Health Extremely Important?
In Women’s History Month, we should bring awareness to issues that impact all women, such as women’s health.
In March, we celebrate Women’s History Month. It’s the most opportune time to educate and bring awareness to social justice issues that directly impact all women, such as women’s health.
The idea of women’s health is new. However, women face unique challenges related to their biological sex, gender identity, and place in many societies.
Educating society on women’s wellness and health is one of the most potent and cost-effective approaches to promoting economic development. So, today, I will discuss its significance and how society can better prioritize it within the healthcare system.
What Is Women’s Health?
People tend to think that women’s health only involves three things: their vaginas, their boobs, or pregnancies. I’m not joking. The misconceptions about women’s wellness are so bad that women even struggle to understand them.
I get it. I attended a public high school where the curriculum didn’t emphasize women’s wellness. The most I learned was why women get periods and have sex. So, it makes sense that so many women don’t understand.
So much goes into women’s wellness and health, including our vaginal health, breast, and even family planning. It is a part of the healthcare industry that focuses on the physical and mental well-being of cis and transgender women. It includes:
- Exams and decisions related to family planning
- Pregnancy
- Mental health
- Sexual Health
- Prevention of breast, cervical, and ovarian cancer.
- Wellness education
It also involves helping cis and transgender women to access the medical resources needed to care for their well-being. These medical resources may include birth control, hormones, prenatal care, condoms, and required things for dealing with health emergencies like C-sections, abortion, and STI testing.
If I speak honestly, I don’t feel we’re doing enough to prioritize women’s wellness. Women still struggle to get the primary care needed for survival due to political and religious beliefs on what’s best for the female anatomy, which I plan to address later.
If you’re a woman struggling to maintain your overall health, please consult your local women’s health specialists.
How To Improve Women’s Wellness
We’ve come a long way from the early 20s when women had no rights. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for improvement. Unfortunately, there are many disparities women still experience within the health and medical industries. Below are some things within healthcare that need improvement when addressing women’s overall health.
Sexual Health
Most people think sexual health only relates to everything associated with the vagina. But that’s only one part of it. For women, sexual health may also look like scheduling a wellness visit, getting tested for HIV, AIDS, and other STIs, getting an annual pap or breast exam, and talking to their partners about safe sexual practices.
For women who are married or in a relationship, it also involves discussing their intimacy, pleasure, and sexual wants/needs with their partner. As taboo as this sounds, women have needs, too.
Family Planning
Women represent the cornerstone of the family’s overall health. Ensuring they have access to quality care can also improve the health of children and families. Family planning lets couples and individuals protect themselves and their families’ well-being in many ways.
- Minimizes pregnancy complications
- Empowers women
- Lowers STI rate
- Protect women from pregnancy-related health risks, such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, infections, miscarriage, and stillbirth.
Many women avoid unintended pregnancies, access contraceptive care, and learn about their reproductive rights without family planning.
Wellness Education
Most general education courses only cover the female reproductive system, abstinence, and childbirth. However, women and young girls need to learn more than that. Education about the wellness of women should include:
- The importance of SAFE sex (not just abstinence)
- Health for transgender girls
- The different parts of the vagina and their functions
- Birth control
- Dealing with sexual trauma
- How to find a proper and well-fitting bra
- Menstruation
While most of this information is available with a quick Google search, misinformation and lies are also. Many young girls have harmed themselves or attempted some new trend while searching for something as simple as losing weight. Arming young girls and women with proper education will make intelligent decisions about their bodies and prevent deaths.
Access To Resources
I did promise to address this at some point. Even though federal and state laws protect the female body, women still struggle to get the care they need due to political and religious views. I’m not only talking about abortion.
Access to health services affects a person’s health and well-being. Regular and reliable access to health services can prevent diseases and treat illnesses or other health conditions.
When I say women need more access to health and medical resources, I’m referring to the quality of care in hospitals and facilities, the ability to access care—including whether it is available, timely, convenient, and affordable, and access to mental health resources without gender bias.
Why Am I Talking About This?
Women’s health is a part of women’s history. Without trailblazers such as Mary Putnam Jacobi, Elizabeth Backwell, Margaret Sanger, Dr. Joycelyn Elvers, and Mary Eliza Mahoney, we would not be where we are today.
In March, we should talk about women’s remarkable contributions to society and address the issues still faced today. I’m dedicating all of my articles to women’s overall well-being.
What are your thoughts on the matter? How can we address this topic? Let me know in the comments.
I love this post! As women we do so much! We have to look after ourselves. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for reading!
Thank you for talking about this! Off to book a check up with the doctor because I am awful on keeping on top of this even when I think somethings wrong.
Glad to hear you’re booking that appointment. It’s super important to do so.
Women’s health needs to be prioritised more! This is such a great post, we deserve more medical research and specific treatment- and this was a great post for women’s history month x
I agree! Women’s health should and needs to be prioritized more. Thanks for reading.
This is such an important post! I definitely agree that there’s so much more that needs to be addressed, as someone still in education I can vouch for the fact that we don’t have access to nearly enough useful information. Access to health services still has a way to go too! Thanks for sharing x
Thank you for sharing! I don’t know where you are living, but in the USA, women’s health education has an extremely long way to go.
Say it louder for the people in the back!! I especially love what you said about teaching safe sex instead of just abstinence. It’s crazy how abstinence is still pushed so hard (for women in particular) in so many places when it’s been proven to be ineffective in preventing unwanted pregnancies and STIs. Women’s health still faces so much stigma. Thank you for writing this!
Thanks for reading Victoria. What’s even worse is when they use religion to abstinence or shame girls who aren’t practicing that or celibacy.
It’s so true that people need to talk more about safe sex and not just abstaining. Thanks for this wonderful article!
Thanks for reading Katie!
What a co-incidence – read this post on International Women’s day 🙂 Thanks for sharing this and reminding women to prioritize their health.
Of course! Happy International Women’s Day!!
Fantastic and important post! I agree with everything you have written, especially about arming young girls and women with proper education regarding women’s wellness. Even though I did have a sex-ed class at High School (lucky as some people don’t even have that), it felt like a footnote, where the bare minimum was mentioned.
Growing up, I felt a certain shame talking about anything to do with sex, menstruation or the female reproductive system overall. It wasn’t until I reached university that I realised it shouldn’t be a taboo subject, and no one should feel embarrassed about talking about women’s health. There is still so much stigma around Women’s Health, which is why posts like this help! There is a lot more to be done regarding access to the necessary health services for women!
Thank you for sharing. 😊
Hi, Thanks for sharing this with me. It seems like women’s health is sooo tabboo because most of the healthcare industry is too focused on the opinions of men. It baffles me how often abstinence is promoted, even when there is research suggesting its ineffectiveness. I didn’t have a proper health class, so I learned everything through trial and error.
This is a fantastic post and I completely agree with you, it is so important and should be talked about more.
You’re absolutely right!!
I feel like so much about women’s health is kept under this veil of secrecy; like we can’t/shouldn’t talk about our wellness and our bodies. I am so glad you explored this as more women need to be unashamed. Thank you for your continued voice in all this!
Given the number of women in the world, it’s amazing that there haven’t been more inroads to our health. A topic like this reminds me of the battle for women in the U.S. to get birth control covered by health insurance. It blew my mind that it was such a divisive issue for the government. It’s basic health care, yet it was asking too much. As with so many things, if the issues facing women were attributed to men, there would be more advances in our health and well-being. Important topic, great post.
~ Cassie
I absolutely agree Cassie! When they discovered that men’s birth control created too many side effects, they immediately began researching healthier and better options. Yet, the healthcare industry looks at most women crazy when these same side effects are brought up.
This is an amazing post. It is filled with so much useful information. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for reading and Happy IWD!
What a great post, Riyah! So full of information on women’s health.
Thanks Simona!
This is such an informative post and busting the myths about the small topics people think women’s health covers. Thank you for using your platform to share awareness! This is so helpful.
Lauren – http://www.bournemouthgirl.com
Hi Lauren,
Thanks so much for reading. I think it’s always important for women to take time to spread awareness and knowledge about our wellbeing.
All women’s health needs to be taught to everyone. For too long it has been looked down on or pushed away. No more. Everyone has a right to be healthy and happy. Thanks for sharing!
I don’t know why people would think like that. That’s crazy! Thank you for amazing detailed post!!
It’s crazy how often people think have this mindset.
Women’s health is so important. I really liked how you went through several issues from our sexouality to mental health. Raising awareness on the different aspects can make a difference. Thank you for sharing!
Eri,
I think it’s super important to raise awareness for these issues. Thanks for reading!
Yes! The world needs more of this type of article! Thank you so much for the work you do xxx
Thanks for reading Laura!
LOVE this post!!! Such an important message and you raise so many important points and I could not agree with you more x
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post Melanie!
I think women have always been conditioned to put the needs of others ahead of themselves, especially as a wife, parent, caregiver, and so on. Women wear so many hats, it is really is easy to forget making ourselves and our health a priority. I always hope your posts spark conversations and inspire change!
Women are natural nurturers and so it’s harder for us to take care of ourselves. But, I think as a society we are on the right path, things just need some imporvement.
It’s a really essential post! I believe that there is a lot more that needs to be done, and as someone who is currently in school, I can attest to the fact that we don’t have nearly enough access to important knowledge. Access to health care has a long way to go as well! Thank you for taking the time to share this with us.
Thanks for reading and commenting on this post. I agree that we need more education in regards to women’s health that is not solely abstinence or pregnancy.
You made a good point that it’s important to also have access to good resources when planning to find a clinic for women’s health exams. I’d like to know more about such services because I want to be a lot more mindful of my health at my age. I don’t have the most reliable immune system out there so I’m a bit concerned about my health as I age.
Hi Alice, That’s a very valid concern, and unfortunately I don’t think I have a resource for you. I recommend talking to your primary doctor.
I like that you mentioned how educating society on the importance of women’s wellness and health is one of the most potent and cost-effective approaches to promoting economic development. My wife and I recently got concerned about our overall health and we are currently trying to educate ourselves. I heard there are even women’s health physiotherapists nowadays, which sounds pretty nice.