Hi Mobsters,
Hope you had a good weekend? It’s Leah here from The House of Hormones delivering you your weekly dose of wellbeing intel!
Let’s be honest: the system is not built with women in mind. Even today, women in the UK often feel unheard, dismissed, or misdiagnosed when it comes to their health, from periods to perimenopause, fertility to chronic illness. And this isn’t new. For centuries, medicine has been designed around the “male body as the norm,” leaving women’s unique biology under-researched and poorly understood.
Shockingly, it wasn’t until 1993 that women were finally included in clinical trials in a meaningful way. Before that, medical research was largely based on male participants, meaning side effects, dosages, and treatment outcomes were tested on bodies that weren’t female. Even earlier, in 1950, the UK Medical Research Council effectively excluded women of childbearing age from studies, fearing potential risk to pregnancies. That means for decades, women’s bodies were a medical blind spot.
Fast forward to today. While we’ve made progress, the echoes remain. Hormonal health, menopause, and reproductive conditions are still under-researched. Women are more likely to be misdiagnosed with mental health issues when their symptoms are actually hormone-driven. Conditions like endometriosis, PCOS, and perimenopause-related mood changes are routinely misunderstood or dismissed. Even something as basic as recognising that our vaginas, skin, and bones age differently to men’s often comes as a surprise, and this affects everything from preventive care to treatment options.
So what can we do? First, we can advocate for ourselves. Track symptoms, ask questions, and don’t settle for “it’s just stress” or “that’s normal for your age.” Second, we can push for systemic change. Support campaigns, fund research, and speak up when healthcare systems overlook women’s needs. Third, we can lean on community. Sharing experiences and trusted information, like through The MOB or THOH, creates awareness and pressure for better care.
The good news? Awareness is rising, and organisations are stepping up to fill the gaps. Women’s health is finally being recognised as a priority, but it still needs voices like yours. Every time a woman asks the right questions, shares her story, or demands better research, we’re chipping away at centuries of neglect.
So this week, let’s take a moment to reflect: our bodies deserve better. Our health deserves investment, research, and understanding. And our voices? They have the power to change the system, for us and for the generations of women to come.
Leah x
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