Women experience dramatic physiological changes during their reproductive years, leaving them more prone to gender-specific diseases and conditions than ever. But with proper diet, exercise, and screenings they can take charge of their health by managing it effectively.
An undamaged vagina is integral to fertility, sexual pleasure and self-confidence. Adopting good hygiene habits such as not douching and using pH-balancing feminine wash can support vaginal health.
Reproductive Health
Reproductive ability and choice have profound impacts on health, well-being and life path. By supporting sexual and reproductive health through easy access to contraceptives, comprehensive education, youth-friendly clinics and gender equality we can reduce societal stigma around these topics while upholding women’s autonomy when making decisions about reproduction and pregnancy.
Reproductive health encompasses not only traditional gynecological issues like menstruation and pregnancy, but also more comprehensive aspects of women’s overall health such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs), infertility and mental wellbeing. Although reproductive health concerns affect both genders equally, more women experience reproductive health concerns due to factors like increased risks during gestation and birth as well as unprotected sexual activity being the source of most STIs spread via unprotected sexual encounters.
Addressing these issues is an integral component of women’s health and achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3, which seeks to ensure healthy lives and well-being for all across their lifetimes. Achieve this requires integrating family planning services into primary care settings, strengthening male participation, and upholding gender equality.
Mental Health
Mental health is the cornerstone of emotions, thinking, learning, communication, resilience and hope; its condition determines how efficiently women manage daily activities and relationships.
Women may experience mental health conditions ranging from depression and anxiety to eating disorders and psychosis, often brought on by hormonal fluctuations, life events such as sexual abuse or poverty, or an internalization of suffering that delays reporting their symptoms as readily as men do.
Women tend to seek help from mental health professionals less frequently and may feel stigmatized due to social expectations that women must remain strong and unwavering for their families first. Programs designed specifically to cater to the voices and needs of women while increasing control over economic and social/political resources can have a profound effect on mental wellbeing; efforts such as improving state gender policies, combatting violence against women and including women central in policy planning/implementation initiatives may make an impactful contribution toward positive mental health outcomes.
Physical Health
Maintaining good physical health means taking proper care in feeding, exercising and visiting healthcare providers for any illnesses or injuries you might be suffering from. Signs that indicate poor health include headaches, tiredness, low energy levels, weight gain and poor sleeping patterns3.3
Women can get enough exercise by rising earlier, exercising during lunch breaks and engaging in some simple home exercises5. Women should also seek ways to relieve their stress and fatigue.
Sexual Health
Sexual health is an aspect of human wellbeing that encompasses physical, emotional and mental wellbeing as it pertains to sexuality. To achieve sexual health requires taking an affirmative approach toward sexuality while respecting intimate relationships as well as sexual autonomy free of dysfunctional relationships or violence – thus contributing to leading a healthy lifestyle and increasing overall well-being.
Many women worldwide continue to receive suboptimal sexual health care due to various factors. Patients may avoid speaking up about their issues for fear of discrimination and stigma as well as inadequate knowledge about sexual health conditions; other gaps in care may stem from cost, coverage and regulatory/policy constraints – this supplementary issue of PHR brings together new insights in research, surveillance and program practice in order to help overcome such obstacles.
