Compare Health Insurance for Women

For many Australian women, the landscape for maternal, sexual, and reproductive health may be quite different from what their own mothers experienced.

For instance, the age of women having their first child is getting older. Additionally, we are seeing more older women – those over 35 – giving birth than in previous decades. Our hearty congratulations to all mums, no matter their age.

While there are many reasons to wait to have a child – career prospects, wanting to own a home, or being fed up with nagging would-be grandparents – older pregnant women are more likely to face challenges, as are their babies. These challenges can include a higher risk of gestational diabetes, preterm birth, and poor fetal growth. Older mothers – those aged 40 and older – are also more likely to need to deliver via caesarean.

Importantly, though, these challenges can usually be managed with adequate healthcare, including a range of gynaecology and obstetrics procedures.

This can be a difficult task in itself, though, with obstetrics proving to be an expensive area of healthcare. Between 2018 and 2023, the bulk-billing rate for this section of the industry has dropped to almost 50%. At the same time, the average out-of-pocket cost for non-hospital items rose by over $50 to $303.¹ Babies, it turns out, can be very expensive even before they’re born and growing out of their shoes every fortnight.

Beyond maternal concerns, many Australian women are dealing with sexual health or reproductive issues. For example, 25% of Aussie women have pelvic floor disorders.² Pelvic floor problems can be behind urinary incontinence – a condition that predominantly affects women – as well as making sex extremely uncomfortable or even painful. Seeking treatment, though, could mean no more sprinting to the toilet and a sudden increase in your weekend getaways with your partner.

In Australia, women are more likely than men to have chronic health conditions with about one in three Australian women over 15 years old being diagnosed with at least one chronic condition. Women are also more likely than men to have multiple chronic health conditions, with 14% of women having two chronic health conditions, and 11% having three or more.³ Throw in a good dose of period cramps or menopausal flushes, and it’s no wonder then that sometimes we just need a night in with a block of chocolate and a glass of wine.

One common chronic condition is endometriosis. It’s estimated that approximately 14% of Australian women are living with the condition,⁴ though this number could be higher given that it takes five years on average for the condition to be diagnosed.⁵ Although, hopefully its rising prominence in the news will mean this stat nosedives significantly.

Endometriosis, like many other chronic health conditions, can affect a person’s productivity, like needing to take unpaid time off work, and their ability to keep stable employment. Endometriosis can also affect a woman’s fertility.

Of course, there are many other chronic health conditions Australian women can be diagnosed with, and treating and managing them can be expensive. Choosing not to treat them however can mean even bigger bills later on – for either the individual or the broader healthcare system if more intensive interventions are required down the track. Treating and learning how to manage them sooner, too, can also mean a better quality of life, and enjoying more time with friends and family.

At all stages of life, Australian women are more likely than their male counterparts to have poor mental health. In fact, mental health disorders are the leading cause of disability for Australian women, with up to 45% of them having experienced mental illness at some time in their life.⁶ If you’ve experienced one, it’s important to remember that the numbers are black and white – you’re not alone.

How these mental illnesses appear can vary between women. However, research from 2022 suggests women have close to double the rates of self-harm compared to men when looking at both the last 12 months and over a lifetime.⁷ Similarly, eating disorders are the third most common chronic illness young Australian women face.⁸

Australian women, particularly those with a 12-month or longer mental disorder, are also more likely to seek treatment for their mental health than men. This may be through their GP, a psychologist, or other medical professional. Help, in whatever form it comes in, is always available.

An Australian woman born in 2022 can expect to live to be 85.3 years old. Perhaps you want to start thinking about the theme for your 80th now to make it a cracker?

However, based on current trends, she’ll only spend 87% of that time in full health.⁹ This is because of women’s burden of disease. They tend to live with disease or injury, rather than passing prematurely because of it. If you’ve ever seen a woman resolutely take care of an ill household or loved one while feeling under the weather herself, this probably doesn’t come as a shock.

Australian women in their late 60s and early 70s are anticipating their health to worsen over time. Concerns may include cancer, which one in four Australian women over 75 have a chance of being diagnosed with,¹⁰ and dementia, which is expected to be twice as common in the over-30 female population by 2058.¹¹

Theoretically, though, avoiding or reducing risk factors could help prevent a good chunk of that disease burden. This could include lifestyle risk factors like smoking, having high blood pressure, and not being physically active. Staying on top of these and similar factors could help minimise your risk of ill health, while also supporting a good quality of life.