Why does it feel like women's health isn't taken seriously?

"It's probably just stress." "Periods are meant to hurt." "Your bloods are normal." "Have you tried losing a bit of weight?"

If you've left an appointment feeling smaller than when you walked in, you're far from alone. And it isn't in your head. There are real, documented reasons women's health has been sidelined, and knowing them is the first step to getting better care.

How we got here

• Women were left out of research. For decades, women were excluded from many early clinical trials, partly to avoid complications from menstrual cycles and pregnancy. A lot of what we know about drug doses, symptoms and "normal" ranges was built on male bodies

• Women's symptoms present differently. Heart attacks, ADHD and autism are classic examples of conditions that can look different in women and are more likely to be missed

• Conditions that only affect women got less funding. Endometriosis affects roughly 1 in 7 Australian women, and diagnosis still commonly takes six years or more

• Pain gets normalised. Period pain, painful sex and pelvic pain are too often treated as just part of being a woman. Victoria's 2024 inquiry into women's pain heard from thousands of women who felt dismissed

• Appointments are short. Hormones, gut and energy are complex, and 10 minutes isn't long enough to connect the dots

The good news

Things are shifting. Research into the female body, from the gut-hormone connection to menopause, is growing fast. There's more public conversation, more specialist services and more women refusing to accept "that's normal" as an answer.

Where to start: advocating for yourself

• Track your symptoms. Use a cycle app or a notes page. Dates, patterns and severity are much harder to dismiss than "I just feel off"

• Write your questions down before the appointment, and lead with your biggest concern

• Ask for your actual results. The numbers and the ranges, not just "normal"

• Ask what else it could be, and what the next step is if things don't improve

• Bring someone with you if you feel rushed or unheard

• Get a second opinion. It's your right, not an insult

• Build a team. A GP you trust, plus specialists, a women's health physio, a psychologist or a nutritionist, depending on what's going on

What you need to know about your own body

• Your cycle is a vital sign. Regular, manageable periods are a sign of health. Missing, very heavy or very painful periods are worth investigating

• Common doesn't mean normal. Bloating, fatigue, breakouts and PMS that disrupt your life deserve attention

• Your symptoms are connected. Gut, hormones, skin, energy and mood don't work in separate boxes

The takeaway

You deserve to be listened to. Come prepared, ask the questions, and keep going until someone looks at the whole picture with you.

I'm Emily, a clinical nutritionist helping women make sense of their gut, hormones and skin. If you're tired of being told it's normal, book a free discovery call and let's look at the whole picture.

This article is general information only and isn't a substitute for individual advice. Please speak with your healthcare practitioner about any symptoms you're experiencing.