It’s time to stop treating women’s health as a series of isolated checkpoints. For too long, the healthcare narrative has functioned like a "greatest hits" album, playing loudly during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, but falling silent in the long stretches between.
Health is not a milestone; it is an ongoing state of being. When we treat it as a linear checklist, we leave millions of people navigating the "in-between" years without a map.
The Problem with the "Milestone" Model
For many, formal health education begins with the first period and ends shortly after. Once the basics of hygiene are covered, the conversation often dwindles until the next "major event," such as pregnancy.
This creates dangerous gaps where:
- Menstrual health is ignored if it isn't tied to fertility.
- Stress and lifestyle factors are dismissed as "just part of life."
- Postpartum care ends abruptly after childbirth, despite the long-term physical and mental shifts that follow.
A Continuum of Care
As we move through adulthood, our health needs don't pause. Career demands, caregiving responsibilities, and aging intersect in complex ways. A 35-year-old navigating burnout needs as much "preventative education" as a teenager navigating puberty. By adopting a life-course perspective, we shift the focus from reactive interventions to sustained support. This approach acknowledges that health outcomes in our 50s are often the cumulative result of the support (or lack thereof) we received in our 20s.
Inclusivity Beyond Labels
While these stages are often discussed under the umbrella of "women’s health," a truly modern approach must be inclusive of all individuals. Not everyone who menstruates or requires reproductive care identifies as a woman, and not every woman follows the same biological path. Moving away from rigid labels allows us to focus on lived experiences. When we prioritize the individual over the stereotype, we create a healthcare system that honors dignity and personal identity.
Global Alignment
This isn't just a local need, it’s a global imperative.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) advocates for the life-course approach, noting that early experiences are the primary predictors of long-term wellness.
- UN Women highlights how systemic gaps in education and workplace support accumulate over time, creating deep-seated health inequities.
It is essential to recognize that health is a continuum, requiring systems, education, and care solutions that evolve over time and are founded on dignity, inclusivity, and sustained support, rather than isolated moments of attention.
How can we act on the Life-Course Approach today?
- For Individuals: Reclaim the "Quiet Years." Don’t wait for a milestone to seek care. Advocate for "preventative maintenance" check-ins with your providers that focus on mental health, bone density, and hormonal shifts, even when you aren't planning a pregnancy or nearing menopause.
- For Healthcare Providers: Adopt Longitudinal Thinking. Shift from treating symptoms in isolation to reviewing a patient's health history as a connected narrative. Utilize screenings that take into account the impact of early-life stressors on long-term chronic disease risk.
- For Workplaces: Support the Spectrum. Policy should reflect the reality of the life course. This means going beyond maternity leave to offer flexible support for menstrual health, perimenopause, and caregiving responsibilities.
Dive deeper into how we can reshape the future of health equity together: The WHO Framework to Implement a Life-Course Approach & The WHO Life-Course Approach: From Theory to Practice.
Writer: Sophia Maxine Bien
