Introducing Women's Health Focus: Spotlighting the medical topics that matter most to women
Key Takeaways
Dear readers,
Welcome to our new MDLinx exclusive series, Women's Health Focus, a column designed to address one of the most dynamic, challenging—and yes, politically charged—areas of medical practice today.
In this series, we'll offer insights and practical guidance to support you in providing the comprehensive and personalized care that women need throughout their life stages.
Historically, women's healthcare has taken a back seat to men's, due to a pattern of exclusion from research, early treatment practices, and attitudes that dismissed women's medical complaints and conditions as "hysteria." And while we’ve come a long way, today’s experts still agree that womens’ needs continue to go unmet by our current healthcare system, and advocates are working to expand the definition of women’s health.
"The study of health and disease in women should not be limited to conditions that affect only women."
— Authors, Nature
"Conditions such as type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease affect men and women differently," wrote the authors of an editorial in the journal Nature. "Such diseases must be studied in both men and women, with the recognition that diagnosis, prognosis and treatment might need to be different between the sexes."
Similarly, a report published by The Commonwealth Fund says the US primary healthcare system does not effectively meet women’s needs, citing gaps in medical training; barriers related to language and culture; gender biases; underrepresentation of women in healthcare leadership and policy; and the politicization of women’s health issues, to name a few.
Abortion care, of course, is one of those areas where medicine and politics collide. The US Supreme Court’s June 2022 dismantling of Roe v. Wade will severely restrict patient access to life-saving abortion care in certain states. But it is also expected to have a dramatic impact on abortion training for OB/GYN residents and other medical trainees.
In our new Women's Healthcare series, we will:
Fill knowledge gaps in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention
Highlight new research and technologies that advance women's health
Provide insight to improve women's experience in the exam room
Bring a balanced perspective to controversial women's health issues
Offer credible guidance that is timely and actionable
As a medical professional, you have the opportunity to play an integral role in the health of your women patients. We're confident this column will be a useful resource—whether you're an OB-GYN, primary care doctor, or other medical specialist striving to give women the best care possible.
All the best,
The MDLinx Team
In our Women's Health Focus feature, we'll offer insights and practical guidance to support you in providing the comprehensive and personalized care that women need throughout their life stages. We invite you to submit any topic you'd like to see covered and let us know if you'd like to be a guest author.