Advancements in Women's Health

A report released on International Women's Day (March 8) by Elsevier Ltd in the Lancet reflects on recent advances in women's health while considering what the future might hold.

According to the report the past decade has witnessed significant research and innovation in women's health, leaving a lasting impact across disciplines and clear signs of progress globally.

A list of ten advances that have altered the course of women's health over the past 10 years has been compiled into an infographic. It is not an exhaustive list, but aims to kickstart a dialogue about what this progress might mean.

Assisted reproductive technology, including embryo vitrification, preimplantation genetic testing, and AI-assisted selection of embryos, has made a substantial impact.

Femtech has seen unprecedented growth over the past decade. With revenue poised to exceed US$100 billion by 2030, the success of femtech up to now has been mainly in consumer apps for high-income settings. With increased investment and inclusive design, femtech holds much promise to provide low-cost accessible technologies.

Advances for menstrual health and menopause, such as increased awareness of symptoms and drug development that has broadened options for women. In some countries, legislative changes have made sanitary products freely available and provided protections to employment rights for women experiencing burdensome symptoms of periods and menopause, leading to reductions in school absenteeism and curtailing the premature exit of women from the workforce.

Advances in contraception—eg, long-acting injectables, patches, and non-hormonal intrauterine devices—have also endowed women with greater autonomy over their bodies and life choices. Innovations in contraceptives include hormonal and non-hormonal methods for men and multipurpose prevention technologies.

Innovations in diagnosis:

• Technical advances in HPV screening, vaccines, and testing have brought HPV elimination within reach.

• Innovations such as self-sampling are rapidly expanding to tackle some issues and improve outcomes.

• Low-cost diagnostic methods such as AI-assisted ultrasound for pregnancy dating, growth, and presentation—have shown significant promise towards elevating maternal health

Interest in the sex-specific effects of drugs has been renewed over the past decade, particularly for GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), which are used by women more than by men worldwide. Safety data for these drugs are limited in women of reproductive age, and the potential effects on contraceptive absorption remain uncertain. Yet, the remarkable potential of GLP-1RAs—eg, in treating fertility issues in women with polycystic ovary syndrome—should not be ignored.

While significant progress has been made by countries in addressing gender-based violence through laws, prevention strategies, and support services, this progress, while real, remains fragile. Mental health disorders are a great burden for survivors of gender-based violence; preventing these risks could avert millions of disability-adjusted life years and premature deaths annually.

Despite substantial progress in women's health, there are challenges ahead. How we choose to acknowledge and tackle threats to progress—eg, misinformation, digital violence, conflict, climate change, and censorship—will define the success that women's health can achieve in the next decade according to the report.

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Advancements in Women's Health - created 9th March 2026