The female hormonal system is a symphony, according to Kristy Prouse (pictured left), chief medical advisor for women’s health at Science&Humans.
It’s “one of the most precisely coordinated biological systems in the human body,” she said, with four phases unfolding over four decades of a woman’s life and most of her working career. But failure to recognize those distinct phases and their accompanying biological shifts means “opportunities for prevention are missed and health challenges often emerge later as chronic disease.”
Women live longer than men but spend about a quarter more of their lives in poor health. An overlooked contributor, said Prouse, is the differing pattern of health decline between men and women: men experience a more gradual decline later in life, while women experience “health disruption” during key hormonal transition periods.
Indeed, eight of the top 10 conditions that drive health burden and disability among women are influenced by hormonal transitions, she noted, which means earlier intervention could prevent their onset or reduce their severity.
Addressing the women’s health gap would reduce disability leaves, improve workforce participation and increase productivity, added Prouse.
Also speaking during the session, Hira Siddiqui (pictured right), co-founder of Science&Humans, said most women navigate disconnected health-care providers without any coordinated hormone health care. Most clinicians also receive limited formal training in hormone management.
Read: More than hot flashes: Women raise awareness about menopause symptoms and work
Science&Humans is a longitudinal hormone health platform that has worked with more than one million patients. Patients can test key biomarkers from their homes, which enables clinicians to track trends and personalize treatment decisions. The platform uses care pathways that combine hormone health with metabolic, mental health and lifestyle factors, allowing patients to track other factors like sleep patterns, body temperature and physical activity on an ongoing basis.
Before starting the program, one in five patients considered leaving the workforce because of unmanaged hormone health symptoms, noted Siddiqui, while a quarter had experienced increased absenteeism. A third had experienced “significant career impacts” due to the onset of menopause symptoms. After 12 months of care, 84 per cent of women slept better, 72 per cent felt more productive at work and 76 per cent had better concentration.
Read more coverage of the 2026 Women’s Health & Wealth Summit.