It’s Not “Just Hormones”: Why Women’s Health Still Gets Overlooked

In honour of Women’s History Month, we unpack endometriosis, PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), menopause and why women’s pain is still dismissed, delayed, and under-researched. We look into funding failures, the gender bias built into medicine, and why women’s health is still treated like a footnote.

Key sources:

1. Endometriosis affects ~10% of women/AFAB globally — WHO. WHO: Endometriosis facts including prevalence and symptoms
2. UK data: Diagnosis ~8 yrs 10 mo; GP visits & dismissal stats — Endometriosis UK. Endometriosis UK report on diagnosis delays + GP visit stats
3. Women’s health gets ~6% of total health funding — WEF & BCG report. Women’s health funding gap report (WEF/BCG)
4. Endometriosis research funding ~ $28m globally — Impact Global Health. Global endometriosis R&D funding overview
5. Structural underfunding of women’s health research — Nature Reviews Bioengineering. Editorial: Funding research on women’s health