Good health is critical to living a good life — and thanks to new medical research and other significant strides forward, women now have more insights than ever into how to best care for their bodies.
Thanks to the hard work of researchers, we now know more about a range of issues that plague women, from heart disease and breast cancer to reproductive care restrictions and ageism. Their data has shown us that positive progress is possible – but it’s what we do with this information that truly matters. Which is why women like philanthropist Melinda French Gates and First Lady Jill Biden are stepping up to the plate, by launching initiatives designed to promote women’s health – and they’re not the only ones acting.
Below, we’ve prepared a dose of hope, in the form of six health-news stories from 2024 that spotlight critical discoveries and encouraging moments in the work toward improving healthcare for women throughout the nation, and the world.
Women caregivers spend about 153 more hours per year performing volunteer caregiving duties, compared to men, which equates to more than $625 billion annually in unpaid labor. (Credit: World Bank Photo Collection, Flickr.com)
Senior Women’s Mortality Rates Are Lower When Treated by Female Doctors
Aside from bringing senior women patients a sense of ease, research published this year in the Annals of Internal Medicine by researchers from the University of Tokyo, the University of California, Los Angeles, Harvard Medical School and the University of California, San Francisco found that having women doctors treat senior women can save up to 5,000 lives per year. That adds up to 50,000 lives saved over the course of a decade. The reason: Women doctors are better communicators and listeners, and are better at speaking more openly to patients, Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, explained to NBC News as an expert consultant.
According to the reproductive rights nonprofit Power to Decide, more than 19 million women in the U.S. live in contraceptive deserts. (Credit: Kaboompics.com, Pexels.com)
Biden-Harris Administration Proposes Plan to Make Condoms, Over-the-Counter Contraception Free
Since the Dobbs decision struck down landmark abortion-access law Roe v. Wade in 2022, access to abortive and reproductive care has become a major concern among women — particularly Gen-Zers. To help ensure that all women have access to contraception they need, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris introduced a new proposal that would make condoms and other over-the-counter birth control options available free of charge to those with private insurance. This move, White House officials said, could benefit 52 million young women across the country if it goes into effect.
The Morehouse School of Medicine Trains Doulas to Bring Maternal Care to Rural Regions
Twelve women walked across the stage at the historically Black university in Atlanta and officially became perinatal patient navigators — also known as doulas. The institution’s goal in formally training doulas, a representative told NPR this summer, is to provide maternal-care resources to women in rural areas. The broader aim is to decrease Georgia’s maternal mortality rate of 33.9 lives lost per 100,000 births. Advocates add that getting Georgia’s Medicaid program to cover the cost of these doulas would ultimately save the state money, while also easing persistent racial disparities in care.
Samvia Henry holding her newborn baby with her husband after giving birth at home. (Photo courtesy of Samvia Henry)
Black Women Find Empowerment Giving Birth at Home
Giving birth can be a frightening experience for all women, Black women especially. Georgia isn’t the only part of the country with a problem – Black women throughout the U.S. face increased risks when carrying and delivering children. Tired of feeling unheard by doctors, three Black women told The Story Exchange about their positive experiences having babies in their own homes. Feeling more comfortable, having a say over their own bodies, and being in familiar settings are just a few of the reasons why these women refused to step in a hospital unless they had to.
Under her new organization Pivotal Ventures, Gates is directing grants to several nonprofits supporting women’s rights, power and influence, including the National Domestic Workers Alliance, the Center for Reproductive Rights and the National Women’s Law Center. (Credit: World Bank Photo Collection, Flickr.com)
Melinda French Gates Launches $250 Million Fund for Women’s Health
Gates is well known for her female-focused philanthropic efforts – and this year, she continued to be a champion for women by providing $250 million for her “Action for Women’s Health” initiative. It’s an effort she launched through her investment company, Pivotal Ventures, and its partner, Levers for Change. The money was portioned out to organizations that work to improve the mental and physical well-being of millions of women around the globe. This push came mere months after Gates donated another $1 billion to various nonprofit organizations, money that will be portioned out over the next two years to also support women’s health.
First Lady Jill Biden Commits Millions Toward Women’s Health
Like Gates, Biden also launched a number of far-reaching health initiatives in 2024, within months of each other. Biden’s first effort came in February – the “Sprint for Women’s Health” involved a $100 million pledge to fund women’s health research, which has been historically underfunded. Biden then announced in September that she would commit another $500 million to the betterment of women in the U.S. military.