According to a report from the World Economic Forum and McKinsey Health Institute, women spend 25% more time in poor health than men, adding up to about nine years of their lifetimes. Why the disparity? Challenges remain in basic health services, such as scheduling and maintaining regular appointments for check-ups, family planning and preventive care.

“For me to go to the hospital to get family planning, I move a very long distance,” says Sumaya, a mother of one in Uganda. “Transport is expensive and sometimes unavailable. And when you make it to the health center, you are met with lengthy queues and sit for long hours. By the time you reach the clinician, you are told the medicine is over.” 

Many organizations, like Seattle-based PATH, work to improve women’s access to affordable, high-quality care globally and in the United States where, according to a recent CDC study, 15.6% of women aged 18 and older remain in fair or poor health.

Kammerle Schneider, chief Global Health Programs officer at PATH, says new health technology through product design and development begins with identifying the need, followed by development, commercialization, introduction and scale-up.

“Products designed for the wide range of women’s health needs — both the innovations marketed for female-specific health conditions and those developed to address conditions that affect women disproportionately or differently — can dramatically improve women’s health and well-being across all life stages,” says Schneider, who leads PATH’s health and technical programs.

Technology has improved access to medical devices for many women. Subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, a self-injectable contraceptive, for example, requires one shot every three months. Sumaya and other members of her community receive a year’s worth of supplies, eliminating the need for travel to clinics and guaranteeing adequate supply. This innovative device allows women in 66 countries to control their own family planning.

“DMPA-SC is small, light and easy to use, enabling any trained person to administer it, including community health workers, pharmacists — and women themselves through self-injection,” says Schneider. “We documented nearly 1 million self-injection client visits in 2023, which provided women with a convenient way to access contraception right at home.”

DMPA-SC is one of several innovations designed to improve women’s health care.

“The Ellavi uterine balloon tamponade is an effective, safe and easy-to-use intervention to manage severe postpartum hemorrhage, the leading cause of maternal death,” says Schneider. “More than 30,000 Ellavi UBTs have sold to date and are projected to save 169,000 lives in more than 20 countries by 2030.”

Microarray patches, microneedle patches that deliver a drug or vaccine via the skin’s outermost layer, and single-sized Caya diaphragms have also greatly improved women’s health efficacy in scores of countries.

“PATH conducted research to understand whether microarray patches would be suitable for HPV vaccines in select communities in countries where we work,” says Schneider. “And the Caya diaphragm was developed through a human-centered design process in multiple countries. We worked with users to create a product that is easy and comfortable for both partners.”

Schneider says the trend in women’s health remains mixed, with increased global health awareness and advocacy and improvement in maternal health and access to contraception.

“Organizations working in women’s health have made significant strides in advocacy, service delivery and innovation, but the challenges we still face are immense,” says Schneider. “To make substantial progress, the global health community must prioritize gender-sensitive health policies, invest in innovative and inclusive research and support local and international collaborations.”

Schneider adds, “When women’s and girls’ health needs are met, they’re more likely to stay in school, join the workforce and help bolster their economies; all key components to achieving a more equitable world.”

PATH is a Seattle-based global nonprofit dedicated to health equity. With nearly 50 years of experience forging multisector partnerships, and with expertise in science, technology, advocacy and more, PATH develops innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing health challenges. www.path.org