Women’s Health and Sex- and Gender-Based Medicine: Past, Present, and Future

Sex- and gender-based women’s health (SGBWH) is the integration of women’s health and the newer field of sex- and gender-based medicine. This chapter provides a foundation for primary care providers (PCPs) to understand the evolution and integration of these fields, the implications for research and clinical care, and the mandate to include SGBWH curricula in health-care education. SGBWH is concerned with eliminating gaps in the comprehensive care of women patients and improving the sex- and gender-informed care of all patients. Prior to 1990, women’s health was equated with reproductive health, sometimes referred to as “bikini medicine.” Since the 1990s, however, the definition has broadened. Changing terminology reflects the evolution of the field, and consensus and partnership among health-care providers and health educators will allow the field to advance. The optimal care of women, which is the focus of this book, includes the integration of primary care medicine, primary care psychiatry, primary care gynecology, and primary care breast health into the care of patients as individuals within the context of sex, gender, cultural, and societal factors. Continued research advances in the study of sex as a biological variable, the inclusion of findings into health-care education at all levels, and the fostering of comprehensive evidence-based primary and specialty care, will help ensure excellent primary care for women and the delivery of more personalized health care for all patients.