Women’s health

Why is women’s health important?

Women's health refers to treatments, conditions and health outcomes which mostly, or only, impact women and girls.

There are differences in health outcomes between women and men and between different groups of women and girls within Australia. Enabling women and girls to have access to support for their health issues and supporting health services to provide high-quality care to meet those needs is important. 
 

How we are supporting women’s health

We have a range of projects and initiatives that support improvements in women’s health care.

This includes guidance for health professionals about how care should be delivered and information for consumers about what they can expect when receiving care.
 

Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

Heavy menstrual bleeding can have a debilitating impact on women, affecting their physical, social, emotional and economic wellbeing.

Our better care everywhere hub supports health professionals and health service organisations to improve care for women with heavy menstrual bleeding; ensuring they are offered the least invasive and most effective treatment for their clinical needs.

Our hub is supported by our Atlas Focus Report, which examines rates of hysterectomy and endometrial ablation hospitalisations in response to heavy menstrual bleeding, as well as our Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Clinical Care Standard, which provides guidance to health professionals on the delivery of care for heavy menstrual bleeding.
 

Pregnancy and childbirth

Stillbirth Clinical Care Standard

Stillbirth is a tragic and profound experience that affects more than 2,000 families in Australia every year. Stillbirth is defined as the birth of a baby without signs of life, at 20 or more completed weeks of gestation or at a weight of 400 grams or more.

Our Stillbirth Clinical Care Standard aims to reduce unwarranted clinical variation in the prevention and investigation of stillbirth, and to reduce the number of women experiencing stillbirth, especially after 28 weeks gestation.

Visit our resource hub for information about understanding still birth, reducing the risk of stillbirth and bereavement care and support after perinatal loss.

Third and Fourth Degree Perineal Tears Clinical Care Standard

A perineal tear is an injury to the perineum – the area between the vagina and anus – that occurs during childbirth. Perineal tears are common and less severe tears heal well either naturally or with stitches. Third and fourth degree perineal tears are more serious and require surgical repair.

Most women who sustain a third or fourth degree perineal tear recover well with appropriate treatment and support, although some will need specialised care to optimise their recovery.

Our Third and Fourth Degree Perineal Tears Clinical Care Standard aims to reduce unwarranted clinical variation in rates of third or fourth degree perineal tears and ensure that women who experience a third or fourth degree perineal tear receive appropriate care to optimise their physical and psychological recovery.

Visit our resource hub for information that supports informed decision-making during pregnancy, labour and birth.
 

Assisted Reproductive Technology

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) services, including fertility services and egg freezing, are important and life-changing procedures. ART services have grown in complexity and evolved over time, prompting greater consideration for the safety and quality of these services. We are developing standards for Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) services to improve the safety and quality of these services. We have a consultation underway and are planning to pilot a draft set of standards in 2027.
 

Pelvic mesh surgery complications and removal

Pelvic mesh surgery includes vaginally placed mesh to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP), abdominally placed mesh to treat POP, and mesh for treatment of incontinence. Many women have experienced complications with this surgery and require support to understand their treatment options after complications. Historically our resources focused on transvaginal (TV) mesh, but the content is currently being revised to reflect changes in the availability of pelvic mesh devices in Australia and in treatment options for POP and urinary incontinence since they were published in 2018. The revised resources will also highlight the importance of submitting data to the Australasian Pelvic Floor Procedure Registry on pelvic mesh removal procedures and procedures to treat urinary incontinence and POP.

Our fact sheet on treatment options can assist you in understanding your options and the questions you should ask to get the information you need.

The care pathways fact sheet can be used by health professionals in the assessment of women with pelvic mesh complications.

The multidisciplinary service model for the management of pelvic mesh surgery complications and the removal of pelvic mesh devices provides guidance for states and territories and the private sector.

Guidance on credentialing to perform pelvic mesh removal surgery will help health services to understand what training and experience their specialist medical practitioners need to perform the surgery.

Pelvic organ prolapse 

Pelvic organs include the bladder, womb and rectum. Pelvic organ prolapse (or POP) is when one or more of these organs bulges against or sags down into the vagina, causing the muscles and ligaments in the pelvic floor to become stretched or weakened. If you have experienced pelvic organ prolapse, our fact sheet on treatment options can assist you in understanding your options and the questions you should ask to get the information you need.

The care pathway and surgical pathway fact sheets can be used by health professionals in the assessment of women with pelvic organ prolapse.

Guidance on credentialing to perform pelvic organ prolapse surgery will help health services to understand what training and experience their specialist medical practitioners need to perform the surgery.

These resources are currently being revised to reflect changes in the evidence and practice for the management of pelvic organ prolapse in Australia since they were published in 2018. The revised resources will also highlight the importance of submitting data to the Australasian Pelvic Floor Procedure Registry on pelvic mesh removal procedures and procedures to treat urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.

Specific credentialing guidance has been prepared by the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand and the Urogynaecological Society of Australasia and the Australasian Gynaecological Endoscopy and Surgery Society for the performance of abdominal sacrocolpopexy to treat pelvic organ prolapse. 

The Urogynaecological Society of Australasia has developed a model of care for abdominal sacrocolpopexy for use by surgeons credentialed to perform the procedure to treat pelvic organ prolapse.

Urinary incontinence 

Urinary Incontinence is the leaking of urine during activities that increase pressure inside the abdomen, such as coughing, sneezing, running or heavy lifting. If you have experienced urinary continence, our fact sheet on treatment options can assist you in understanding your options and the questions you should ask to get the information you need.

The care pathway and surgical pathway fact sheets can be used by health professionals in the assessment of women with urinary continence.

Guidance on credentialing to perform surgery for urinary continence will help health services to understand what training and experience their specialist medical practitioners need to perform the surgery.

These resources are currently being revised to reflect changes in the evidence and practice for the management of urinary incontinence in Australia since they were published in 2018. The revised resources will also highlight the importance of submitting data to the Australasian Pelvic Floor Procedure Registry on pelvic mesh removal procedures and procedures to treat urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.