Women's Health

Women's Health covers the conditions and care particular to women — menstrual and reproductive health, contraception, pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, breast and gynaecological cancers — and the fact that common conditions (heart disease, depression, osteoporosis, autoimmune disease) affect women differently from men. In India, women often postpone their own healthcare for family reasons; catching up on what to track, when, and why matters.

Across a woman's life — what to pay attention to

• Adolescence — menstrual health, body awareness, nutrition, iron stores, HPV vaccine, mental health, sex education, safety.
• 20s-30s — contraception choices, pregnancy planning, sexual health, thyroid, PCOS screening, mental health.
• 30s-40s — pregnancy risks rise; weight, blood pressure, diabetes screening; continued cervical cancer screening; start breast awareness; bone health foundation.
• 40s-50s — perimenopause, menopause; heart risk rises; continued breast and cervical screening; bone density baseline.
• 60+ — heart, bone, eye, hearing; cancer screening; falls prevention; mental health and connection.

Important India-specific themes

• Anaemia is extremely common — over half of women of reproductive age. Regular haemoglobin checks matter.
• Cervical cancer is the second commonest cancer in Indian women, yet largely preventable with HPV vaccine in girls 9-14 (and up to 26) and screening of adult women every 3-5 years.
• Breast cancer is now the commonest cancer in Indian urban women — breast self-awareness, clinical exam, and mammography from 40-45 save lives.
• Osteoporosis hits earlier in Indians due to low calcium/vitamin D — address from mid-30s.
• Heart disease kills more Indian women than any single cancer — symptoms in women are often atypical (fatigue, breathlessness, nausea rather than classic chest pain).
• Mental health — anxiety, depression, and postpartum depression are under-recognised; cultural pressure to "cope" delays help.
• Intimate partner violence affects roughly 1 in 3 women globally; see a Health Expert or call the Women's Helpline 181 — help is confidential and free.
• Access and autonomy — every woman has a legal right to her own medical decisions, including reproductive choices. Routine gynaecological care should be confidential.

Everyday foundation

Balanced Indian diet with adequate protein, iron, calcium, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. Daily movement. Don't smoke. Moderate or no alcohol. Annual basic check-up from 30-35. Vaccines — tetanus, HPV, flu; MMR catch-up if not immune; Hepatitis B. Sleep. Support network. Screening for the cancers that actually matter at your age.