National Women’s Health Week 2025: A Call to Prioritise the Whole Woman

From menopause to mental health and cancer, this year’s campaign urges women to take charge of their well-being—mind, body and everything in between.

A Week That Should Last a Lifetime

Every May, beginning on Mother’s Day, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launches National Women’s Health Week (NWHW) to shine a spotlight on the health and well-being of women across the country. In 2025, the observance runs from May 11–17, with a strong message: prioritise your whole health—mind and body, at every stage of life.

It’s a powerful reminder that women’s health deserves more than one week of attention. It deserves consistent, compassionate, and comprehensive care—and that starts with awareness.

This Year’s Focus: Menopause, Mental Health, and Cancer

National Women’s Health Week 2025 zeroes in on three critical areas of concern that often go under-addressed, misdiagnosed, or even dismissed: menopause, mental health, and cancer.

Each of these areas represents not just a medical issue, but a cultural one—shaped by stigma, lack of education, and systemic gaps in research and care.

Let’s break them down.

1. Menopause: The Unspoken Transition

More than 1 million women in the U.S. enter menopause each year.

Despite this, menopause remains cloaked in silence. With an average onset age of 52, and most women transitioning between 45 and 55, this major life phase is too often ignored by healthcare providers and society at large.

This week serves as a rallying cry: it’s time to demand better support, informed care, and open conversations about hormone health, symptoms, and treatment options.

2. Mental Health: Beyond the Baby Blues

Women are nearly twice as likely as men to experience major depression.

The statistics are startling. Around 1 in 5 women will face a mental health challenge during pregnancy or the first year postpartum. And among younger women and girls, the toll of social media has created a steep rise in sadness, isolation, and hopelessness.

Mental health is not a side issue—it is central to overall health. Women deserve care that sees the full picture: the hormonal, emotional, societal, and psychological factors that shape their lives.

3. Cancer: The Gendered Risk

Cancer causes 1 in 6 deaths among women.

Alarmingly, women under 50 are nearly twice as likely as men in the same age group to develop cancer. This includes cancers often ignored in younger populations, such as breast, ovarian, cervical, and thyroid.

Routine screening, prevention strategies, and early intervention must be normalised and accessible. Women shouldn’t have to fight for their symptoms to be taken seriously.

Moving from Awareness to Action

NWHW is a reminder to start where you are—by asking questions, attending check-ups, learning about your risk factors, and advocating for equitable healthcare. But the onus shouldn’t just be on women.

Healthcare systems, policymakers, and workplaces must invest in gender-specific research, better representation in clinical trials, and wraparound care that recognises the complex realities of female health.

Let’s Make It Count

If you're a woman, or someone who cares about one, this week is your invitation to:

• Schedule a check-up and talk to your provider about menopause, mental health, or cancer screening.

• Share your story to help break the stigma around female health issues.

• Push for policy that funds women’s health research and delivers real reform.

  
  

Because prioritising women’s health isn't a luxury—it’s a necessity.