Australia Has a Dashboard. The UK Has a Plan. What About the US?

Good Afternoon!

From global women’s health strategies to upcoming expert interviews — plus the stories that caught my eye — here’s what’s new:

Who’s Leading the Way in Women’s Health?
Australia has a 10-year strategy, the UK is taking a layered approach, and the U.S. is still piecing it together. I break down the highlights — and ask for your input on where we go from here.

Coming Up on Fempower Health
Two big conversations you won’t want to miss:

• Progestin vs. Progesterone — clearing up confusion that impacts millions

• Building Healthcare for Women — why creating solutions in a system not built for us is harder than it looks

What Caught My Eye
From new blood pressure guidelines and a breakthrough hydrogel for menopause to pregnancy + IBD updates and an inspiring career pivot — plus one hilarious reel you have to see.

Let’s get into it.

SPOTLIGHT

Around the World: Roadmaps for Women’s Health

Here’s What’s Going On 📰

I’ve been digging into women’s health strategies around the world, and four reports stood out:

• Australia just published its National Women’s Health Strategy Baseline Assessment — a progress check on its 10-year plan. There’s $792.9M in new funding and a national dashboard in the works to track KPIs.

• The UK has taken a layered approach:

  • The 2022 Women’s Health Strategy set a 10-year vision, shaped by 110,000 women’s voices.

  • The RCOG’s 2025 evaluation shows early wins (high patient satisfaction with Women’s Health Hubs) but flags funding gaps and 580K+ women on gynaecology waitlists.

  • The UK Parliament Debate Pack (published Mar 2025) adds urgency: an estimated £11B annual productivity loss from untreated women’s health issues.

• And here in the U.S., we have incredible players — but no clear, cohesive national strategy tying research, policy, funding, and patient voice together. A lot is happening, but we’re seemingly more fragmented.

Why It Matters 💡

Australia and the UK are approaching women’s health systemically — but their paths look different partly because their healthcare system structures are different:

• Australia operates within a national health framework — it’s easier to set countrywide KPIs and allocate centralized funding.

• The UK builds on the NHS, which already delivers integrated care, making initiatives like Women’s Health Hubs possible.

• In the U.S., we have a fragmented mix of federal, state, private, and nonprofit stakeholders — which drives innovation but makes a unified national strategy harder to execute.

This isn’t about copying other countries’ models. It’s about understanding what works, recognizing where our system creates different constraints, and figuring out where the gaps are….and what we can do about them.

What’s Next 🔍

I’m exploring what’s happening globally — and I’d like to understand the U.S. landscape better.

If you know of U.S. initiatives working toward a coordinated women’s health strategy — federal, state, or coalition-driven — 👉 hit reply or join the Slack discussion. While I know of many working in this space, I don’t want to assume I know all the key players, so don’t hold back!

I’ll share what I learn in an upcoming issue. I’m also considering a deeper comparative analysis of these reports. 🙌🏼 If that’s something you’d want to read, let me know — your feedback will help me decide. 🙏🏼

COMING SOON

Share your Questions on these Great Topics Coming up on Fempower Health

I’ve got a few fascinating interviews coming up, and I want to make sure your questions get answered.

If there’s something you’d like me to ask my guests, just hit reply and let me know.

Upcoming Topics:

Progestin vs. Progesterone
These terms sound similar, but they’re completely different molecules — and I’ve heard healthcare practitioners use them interchangeably for years. No wonder there’s confusion.

We’ll also tackle a big question I keep hearing from perimenopausal women: “If I’m on an estrogen patch and have a hormonal IUD like Mirena, do I really need additional progesterone?”

We’re getting to the bottom of this one.

Building a Women’s Health Company in a System That Wasn’t Built for Us
Zooming out, I’m also interviewing the co-founder of a well-known startup about what it really takes to build solutions for women within a healthcare system that wasn’t designed for us.

Why is it so hard? What’s working — and what’s not? We’re digging into it.

👉 Remember to hit reply and share your questions!

ROUNDUP

What Caught My Eye

💓 New Blood Pressure Guidelines Change the Game
Earlier intervention is now the standard — with new thresholds that could reshape prevention for women at all life stages. This is big, and you’ll want to understand why.
👉 Read the summary

🧬 A Hydrogel Breakthrough for Menopause
Researchers at UC San Diego have developed a hormone-free hydrogel that may relieve vaginal dryness and pain caused by genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) — affecting up to 85% of women over 40. This could change treatment options for millions.
👉 Read the study
(Plus, revisit my GSM guidelines article for context.)

🤰 Pregnancy + IBD: New Guidelines + a Call to Action
New clinical guidelines aim to help women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) navigate pregnancy with less fear — and more clarity.
👉 Read the guidelines
Plus, if this impacts you or someone you know, explore the Piano Study tracking medication effects on pregnancy and child outcomes.
👉 Join the study

🚑 From Wall Street to Saving Lives
After making millions as a commodities trader, Jonathan Kleisner walked away at 41 to become a rookie paramedic. Thirteen years later, he’s thriving — and saving lives.
👉 Check out his story

😂 Reality Check: Motivation, But Make It Weird
A guy rides in on a moped wearing a microwave on his head… and somehow delivers one of the most hilarious “life advice” speeches you’ll ever hear.
👉 Watch the reel

👉 Have something for me to share with this group? Reply to this email. 🙏🏼