Halle Berry Backs New Effort to Improve Women's Experience of Gynaecological Care

Image Credit: Kevin Cremens

Actor and women's health advocate Halle Berry has joined healthcare company Nella in calling for improvements to routine gynaecological care, highlighting concerns that discomfort and anxiety continue to deter many women from attending preventive health appointments.

According to a recent survey cited by Nella, 72% of women have delayed or avoided routine gynaecological examinations. The findings have fuelled discussion about whether longstanding aspects of women's healthcare, including the use of the traditional speculum during pelvic examinations and cervical screening procedures, should be modernised.

The speculum, used to examine the cervix and vagina during pelvic examinations and cervical screening tests, has remained largely unchanged for more than a century. While the instrument is an essential tool in reproductive healthcare, many women report feelings of discomfort, anxiety and vulnerability during examinations.

Berry, who has become an investor and partner in Nella, said the statistic on delayed appointments was one of the factors that motivated her involvement with the company.

"What was staggering for me to learn is 72% of women delay their exams," Berry said in an interview with Forbes.

She noted that missing annual appointments can have wider implications for women's health, as routine visits often include breast examinations, cervical health assessments and opportunities to discuss other health concerns with clinicians.

Delayed Care and Preventive Health

Healthcare professionals have long emphasised the importance of regular preventive care in detecting conditions such as cervical cancer, sexually transmitted infections and other reproductive health issues at an early stage.

However, research suggests that concerns about pain, embarrassment and anxiety remain significant barriers to attendance for some women.

Berry argued that many women continue to prioritise the needs of family members and carers over their own healthcare, contributing to delays in seeking routine medical attention.

The issue has become part of a broader conversation about how healthcare systems can improve patient experiences and encourage greater participation in preventive screening programmes.

A New Approach to Pelvic Examinations

Nella has developed an alternative speculum design that the company says is intended to improve patient comfort during examinations. The device is made from smooth materials and is designed to be smaller and less intimidating than many traditional metal speculums.

Berry said the innovation reflects a growing effort to redesign healthcare products with women's experiences in mind.

She also highlighted the fact that the product was developed by women, describing it as an example of how female-led innovation is helping to address unmet needs in healthcare.

The company's founder, Fahti Khosrowshahi, said many women do not always communicate feelings of discomfort or anxiety to healthcare professionals during examinations.

"There are a lot of doctors who are very passionate about women's healthcare and care deeply about their patients," Khosrowshahi told Forbes. "But as women, we don't express our discomfort or pain to our clinicians."

She added that some women have shared concerns linked to previous trauma, anxiety or fear associated with gynaecological examinations, underlining the need for more patient-centred approaches.

Increasing Access

Nella has also announced a retail partnership with Walmart in the United States, a move aimed at making its products more widely available and affordable.

Berry said accessibility is essential if innovations in women's healthcare are to have a meaningful impact, particularly for women outside major urban centres.

The partnership reflects a wider trend within women's health, where companies are increasingly focusing on accessibility, affordability and patient experience alongside clinical outcomes.

Changing the Conversation

Berry has been a vocal advocate for greater awareness of women's health issues, including menopause and vaginal health. She believes that more open discussion of topics such as menstruation, fertility, menopause and reproductive healthcare is helping to reduce stigma and encourage women to seek support.

As conversations around women's health continue to evolve, advocates argue that patients are becoming less willing to accept discomfort as an inevitable part of care and are increasingly demanding healthcare experiences that reflect modern standards of comfort, dignity and patient engagement.

For Berry, encouraging women to prioritise their own health remains central to the discussion.

"If we're not healthy, then what happens to our families?" she said.

Sources:

• Jennifer Palumbo, Forbes, "The Women's Health Problem Halle Berry and Nella Want To Help Solve" (16 June 2026).

• PBS, historical reporting on the development and use of the medical speculum.

• Nella company information and survey data cited in the Forbes interview.