How Research Neglects Women and Why That’s Changing

For generations, women have been told that their pain is “normal,” their symptoms are “stress,” or that they’re “just hormonal.” But what if the problem isn’t women’s bodies - what if it’s the research?

Across medicine, health science, and clinical trials, women have historically been underrepresented, overlooked, or misunderstood. The consequences are real, measurable, and still affecting lives today.

This blog explores how gender bias in research developed, why it matters, and what’s finally beginning to change.

The Invisible Bias in Medicine

Modern medicine often presents itself as neutral and objective. In reality, much of what we know about health is based on a male default. For decades:

• Clinical trials primarily used male participants

• Women were excluded due to “hormonal variability”

• Results from men were applied to women as if bodies functioned the same

This means that for many conditions, treatments, medications, and diagnostic criteria were never properly tested on female bodies.

Why Were Women Left Out?

There were several reasons, none of them rooted in women’s wellbeing. Historically:

• Women of childbearing age were excluded to “protect” potential pregnancies

• Hormonal cycles were seen as inconvenient or “messy” for data

• Male bodies were considered the scientific norm

Instead of adapting research to reflect real human diversity, research adapted by excluding women altogether.

The Real-World Impact

This gender gap in research affects everyday health outcomes. It contributes to:

• Longer diagnosis times for conditions like endometriosis and PCOS

• Women’s pain being taken less seriously by clinicians

• Higher rates of adverse drug reactions in women

• Misunderstanding of how hormones affect mental health

• Limited research into menstrual health, menopause, and reproductive wellbeing

In Australia and globally, women are more likely to be told their symptoms are psychological even when there is a clear physical cause.

Invisible Women and the Data Gap

The book Invisible Women brought global attention to what’s known as the gender data gap. The book highlights how systems designed around “average men” fail women in areas like:

• Healthcare

• Transport and safety

• Workplace design

• Technology and policy

In health specifically, it shows how missing data leads to misdiagnosis, inadequate care, and preventable suffering. When women aren’t included in data, they become invisible in decision-making.

Menstrual Health: Still Under-Researched

Despite half the population menstruating at some point in their lives:

• Period pain is often dismissed as “part of being a woman”

• Menstrual disorders receive a fraction of research funding

• Education around cycles is limited and inconsistent

Many people grow up without being taught what a healthy cycle looks like, making it harder to recognise when something isn’t right. This lack of knowledge doesn’t just affect individuals; it affects families, schools, workplaces, and healthcare systems.

Why This Is Starting to Change

The good news? Things are shifting. In recent years, there has been:

• Increased advocacy for gender-inclusive research

• New guidelines requiring sex-based data analysis

• Growth in women-led and community-informed research

• Rising awareness of menstrual and reproductive health

• Stronger voices challenging medical dismissal and bias

Women, gender-diverse people, researchers, and advocates are demanding that health science reflects real bodies and real lives.

The Role of Education and Advocacy

Change doesn’t only happen in laboratories, it happens in conversations. Education helps people:

• Advocate for themselves in medical settings

• Understand their bodies and cycles

• Question dismissive or incomplete explanations

• Push for better funding and research priorities

Talking openly about periods, pain, and wellbeing isn’t “oversharing” it’s part of systemic change.

What You Can Do

You don’t need to be a researcher to make a difference. You can:

• Learn about your body and track your cycle

• Ask questions and seek second opinions

• Support organisations advocating for women’s health

• Share evidence-based resources

• Believe people when they talk about pain

Listening is powerful. Belief is powerful.