The 2025 Outlook on Women's Health
This report analyzes the rising health challenges facing women, moving beyond a narrow reproductive focus to a holistic, lifespan perspective. It highlights key trends, systemic disparities, and the urgent need for targeted research and equitable care to improve outcomes for all women.
25%
More of their lives spent in poor health vs. men
1 in 5
Female deaths in the U.S. caused by cardiovascular disease
80%
Of autoimmune disease patients are women
2/3
Of Americans with Alzheimer's are women
Cancers: A Shifting Burden
While overall cancer mortality is declining, incidence is rising among women, particularly younger women. This section explores the specific cancers driving this trend and the factors involved.
Key Trends & Projections
- Women <50 have an 82% higher cancer incidence rate than men.
- Breast Cancer: Incidence up 1.6% annually (2017-2021), especially in women <50.
- Uterine Cancer: Incidence up >1% per year since mid-2000s, with higher rises in women of color.
- Lung Cancer: Incidence in women <65 surpassed men for the first time in 2021.
Innovations & Hope
Advancements in AI for risk prediction, liquid biopsies for non-invasive monitoring, and targeted therapies like Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) are transforming diagnosis and treatment, offering more personalized and effective care.
Autoimmune Diseases: A Disproportionate Impact
Autoimmune diseases, where the body's immune system attacks its own tissues, affect women at a much higher rate than men. Post-pandemic data suggests a concerning rise in diagnoses.
Key Factors & Trends
- 8 in 10 individuals with an autoimmune disease are women.
- Post-COVID, diagnoses of autoimmune rheumatic diseases increased by 22%.
- Risk factors include genetics (X chromosome), hormonal changes (menopause), and environmental triggers (infections, chemicals).
- Common conditions: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, Type 1 Diabetes, and Thyroid diseases.
Mental Health: Persistent Disparities
Women experience higher rates of depression and anxiety, and face unique systemic barriers to care, including economic pressures and childcare responsibilities.
Barriers to Care
- Economic Factors: Difficulty taking time off work and concerns about treatment costs.
- Caregiving: Childcare responsibilities often impede access to services.
- Systemic Issues: Enduring stigma and lack of integrated mental health in primary care.
Emerging Solutions
Digital tools like apps and telehealth are expanding access. Research has led to pioneering medication for postpartum depression and effective anxiety interventions for pregnant women, showing promise in targeted support.
Cardiovascular Disease: The Silent Killer
CVD is the leading cause of death for women, yet it remains under-recognized and undertreated. Unique risk factors across a woman's lifespan are critical to understand for prevention.
A Lifespan of Risk
Unlike men, women's cardiovascular risk is deeply tied to hormonal changes and reproductive history. These events act as early "stress tests" for the heart.
-
1
Pregnancy Complications: Conditions like gestational diabetes or preeclampsia significantly increase long-term heart disease risk.
-
2
Menopause: The decline in estrogen post-menopause accelerates the risk of coronary artery disease.
-
3
Rising Youth Incidence: Heart disease is rising in younger women (20-44), highlighting the need for early awareness.
Lifespan & Chronic Issues
From menopause to osteoporosis and Alzheimer's, women face unique health challenges associated with aging, often compounded by a lack of education and a higher caregiving burden.
Menopause & Osteoporosis
- >80% of women receive no school education on menopause.
- 1 in 3 women over 50 are affected by osteoporosis (vs. 1 in 5 men).
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) is a key intervention for managing symptoms and protecting bone health.
Alzheimer's Disease
- Almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer's are women.
- Lifetime risk at age 45 is 1 in 5 for women, compared to 1 in 10 for men.
- Women also represent two-thirds of unpaid caregivers for people with dementia.
Diabetes
- ~50% of women with gestational diabetes will develop Type 2 diabetes.
- Diabetes is linked to reproductive dysfunction and a shorter reproductive lifespan.
- Girls with T1D often have higher HbA1c levels than boys.
Underlying Systemic Factors
Individual health outcomes are deeply influenced by broader societal and environmental forces. These cross-cutting issues create and exacerbate health disparities for women globally.
Gender Inequality & Discrimination
Sociocultural norms that limit education, employment, and decision-making power over their own bodies directly harm women's health. Women perform 2.5 times more unpaid care work than men, limiting their opportunities and well-being.
Global Crises & Climate Change
Conflict, displacement, and climate change disproportionately affect women, increasing risks of violence, food insecurity, and mental health burdens while disrupting access to essential healthcare.
Data Gaps & Research Bias
A "near-total absence of data on women over 50" and a systematic under-researching of women's health conditions hinder progress. Only 7% of healthcare research focuses on conditions exclusive to women, creating significant knowledge gaps.
The 2025 Outlook on Women's Health
This report analyzes the rising health challenges facing women, moving beyond a narrow reproductive focus to a holistic, lifespan perspective. It highlights key trends, systemic disparities, and the urgent need for targeted research and equitable care to improve outcomes for all women.
25%
More of their lives spent in poor health vs. men
1 in 5
Female deaths in the U.S. caused by cardiovascular disease
80%
Of autoimmune disease patients are women
2/3
Of Americans with Alzheimer's are women
Cancers: A Shifting Burden
While overall cancer mortality is declining, incidence is rising among women, particularly younger women. This section explores the specific cancers driving this trend and the factors involved.
Key Trends & Projections
- Women <50 have an 82% higher cancer incidence rate than men.
- Breast Cancer: Incidence up 1.6% annually (2017-2021), especially in women <50.
- Uterine Cancer: Incidence up >1% per year since mid-2000s, with higher rises in women of color.
- Lung Cancer: Incidence in women <65 surpassed men for the first time in 2021.
Innovations & Hope
Advancements in AI for risk prediction, liquid biopsies for non-invasive monitoring, and targeted therapies like Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) are transforming diagnosis and treatment, offering more personalized and effective care.
Autoimmune Diseases: A Disproportionate Impact
Autoimmune diseases, where the body's immune system attacks its own tissues, affect women at a much higher rate than men. Post-pandemic data suggests a concerning rise in diagnoses.
Key Factors & Trends
- 8 in 10 individuals with an autoimmune disease are women.
- Post-COVID, diagnoses of autoimmune rheumatic diseases increased by 22%.
- Risk factors include genetics (X chromosome), hormonal changes (menopause), and environmental triggers (infections, chemicals).
- Common conditions: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, Type 1 Diabetes, and Thyroid diseases.
Mental Health: Persistent Disparities
Women experience higher rates of depression and anxiety, and face unique systemic barriers to care, including economic pressures and childcare responsibilities.
Barriers to Care
- Economic Factors: Difficulty taking time off work and concerns about treatment costs.
- Caregiving: Childcare responsibilities often impede access to services.
- Systemic Issues: Enduring stigma and lack of integrated mental health in primary care.
Emerging Solutions
Digital tools like apps and telehealth are expanding access. Research has led to pioneering medication for postpartum depression and effective anxiety interventions for pregnant women, showing promise in targeted support.
Cardiovascular Disease: The Silent Killer
CVD is the leading cause of death for women, yet it remains under-recognized and undertreated. Unique risk factors across a woman's lifespan are critical to understand for prevention.
A Lifespan of Risk
Unlike men, women's cardiovascular risk is deeply tied to hormonal changes and reproductive history. These events act as early "stress tests" for the heart.
-
1
Pregnancy Complications: Conditions like gestational diabetes or preeclampsia significantly increase long-term heart disease risk.
-
2
Menopause: The decline in estrogen post-menopause accelerates the risk of coronary artery disease.
-
3
Rising Youth Incidence: Heart disease is rising in younger women (20-44), highlighting the need for early awareness.
Lifespan & Chronic Issues
From menopause to osteoporosis and Alzheimer's, women face unique health challenges associated with aging, often compounded by a lack of education and a higher caregiving burden.
Menopause & Osteoporosis
- >80% of women receive no school education on menopause.
- 1 in 3 women over 50 are affected by osteoporosis (vs. 1 in 5 men).
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) is a key intervention for managing symptoms and protecting bone health.
Alzheimer's Disease
- Almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer's are women.
- Lifetime risk at age 45 is 1 in 5 for women, compared to 1 in 10 for men.
- Women also represent two-thirds of unpaid caregivers for people with dementia.
Diabetes
- ~50% of women with gestational diabetes will develop Type 2 diabetes.
- Diabetes is linked to reproductive dysfunction and a shorter reproductive lifespan.
- Girls with T1D often have higher HbA1c levels than boys.
Underlying Systemic Factors
Individual health outcomes are deeply influenced by broader societal and environmental forces. These cross-cutting issues create and exacerbate health disparities for women globally.
Gender Inequality & Discrimination
Sociocultural norms that limit education, employment, and decision-making power over their own bodies directly harm women's health. Women perform 2.5 times more unpaid care work than men, limiting their opportunities and well-being.
Global Crises & Climate Change
Conflict, displacement, and climate change disproportionately affect women, increasing risks of violence, food insecurity, and mental health burdens while disrupting access to essential healthcare.
Data Gaps & Research Bias
A "near-total absence of data on women over 50" and a systematic under-researching of women's health conditions hinder progress. Only 7% of healthcare research focuses on conditions exclusive to women, creating significant knowledge gaps.