Women’s health category embraces continuing change
Women constitute the majority of the population in the United States, so why does most of what we know about health still pertain to men?
Being female can be a risk factor for certain diseases or conditions, pose barriers to research and can cause diseases and conditions to present differently.
Seen this way, the lack of understanding about women’s bodies and research focused on them is a public health issue. It perpetuates health care disparities, a lack of information and continues to dismiss or ignore women’s concerns.
The increasing attention on women’s health and research is long overdue, said Kaleigh Harlow, brand manager of OTC self-care and wellness at Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, which owns the women’s maternity wellness brand Premama.
“It’s exciting that this focus and emphasis across the board is finally being placed on women and their needs, because it varies,” Harlow said. “To have that research finally being done is good, and I think there’s a lot more room to grow.” Brittany Dedman, director of sales and marketing for Pamprin, heartily agrees.
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“Where it once felt like women’s health issues were both taboo to discuss and ignored, it now feels like women are pushing for a societal conversation around them,” Dedman said. “It’s amazing to see an influx of chatter, and we hope that translates to more research for women and, consequently, solutions for issues.”
Women’s health needs change throughout their lives, partly due to changing hormone levels. Now, as women are more vocal about what they want—nay, demand—from the market, it’s an opportunity to rethink product offerings, displays and women’s health altogether.
Dedman said the market is significantly different today, in part because there are more products catered specifically toward women. Let’s explore some of these products and health concerns by life phase.
Puberty and Adolescence
In the United States, most girls experience menarche, or their first period, between the ages of 10 and 16. One product that can make menstruation easier is a discrete period kit.
“It’s embarrassing when you’re at that age,” said Tara Thompson, Pharm.D. and vice president of clinical services for Revelation Pharma. Victoria Ruter, head of brand for MenoLabs at Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, recalls that she wasn’t given much education about the changes happening with her body in health class.
“When I was growing up, you didn’t talk about puberty. You had a class on sex ed in maybe eighth grade. It was 30 minutes. Everybody was uncomfortable, even the teacher, and that was it.”
Harlow said it’s important to help women, especially young women, identify if they have a nutrient deficiency, hormone imbalance or other condition that could be making menstrual cycles more painful. Some conditions have been underdiagnosed and under-researched, but there’s been more of an effort to address them.
Early Adulthood
Women spend much of their life menstruating. For most of that time, they are not planning to have children so contraception reduces the risk of pregnancy.
In the event of unprotected sex or concerns about contraceptive efficacy, women can also take oral emergency contraceptive pills for a certain amount of time (usually 72 hours) after sexual intercourse. Most brands are available without a prescription.
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Women’s preventive contraceptive options have greatly expanded to include birth control patches, vaginal rings, injections or intrauterine devices. However, these products have all required seeing a healthcare provider, either to prescribe, administer or insert the contraceptive. But in spring 2024 the FDA approved the first OTC oral contraception, Opill.
When women are trying to conceive, there are OTC ovulation tests as well as apps that can help track peak fertility. For women who become pregnant, there is a lot of attention on prenatal vitamins and supplements to make sure both she and the developing fetus are getting all the nutrients they need.
Perimenopause
From their mid-30s to mid-50s, women begin perimenopause, when the body produces less estrogen, causing the menstrual cycle to become irregular. Perimenopause can last from one to several years, and women usually experience a variety of symptoms.
“It’s like, ‘sorry, you’re going through The Change, and you just have to tough it out,’ but that’s not the case anymore,” Thompson said. “There are medications that can help dampen those vasomotor symptoms [also known as hot flashes and night sweats] a little bit to where women can actually have a better quality of life during that transition period.”
Hormone replacement therapy can help with the downstream effects of lower estrogen levels, which leads to decreased lubrication of the vaginal mucosa.
There are other non-hormonal OTC products that can make perimenopause and menopause easier, such as probiotics and prebiotics that help boost immune health and collagen. “VMHS Women’s Health is nearly a $2 billion annual business and growing faster than the total vitamins category,” said Kimberly Vigliante, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Nature’s Truth. “The category surpassed $12 billion in 2024, which is a $3 billion increase from pre-pandemic. Usage is up 34%.”
Menopause and Beyond
Women experiencing menopause have been underserved for too long, Ruter said, but more companies are working to change that. “It all starts with understanding women’s intimate health and personal care concerns and needs.” said Leslie Rainer, senior worldwide marketing director of intimate health at Combe, the maker of Vagisil.
By 2025, there will be about 1.1 billion women worldwide who are postmenopausal. One area getting attention is sexual health. “Men have had erectile dysfunction medications for years,” Thompson said, referring to the drugs remelanotide injection (Vyleesi) and flibanserin (Addyi), which treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder. “[Before the FDA approved these drugs in 2019, women have never had a solution for low libido or hypoactive sexual desire disorder.”
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Thompson also is watching the OTC space for new products that help with other menopausal symptoms, such as lubricants and moisturizers that can decrease some of the symptoms associated with vaginal dryness.
Ruter acknowledges women may initially feel uncomfortable speaking up about their changing bodies, but it’s empowering and comforting to learn they’re not the only ones experiencing these symptoms.
Women represent a majority of the population, and they have more purchasing power than ever before. On average, a woman spends more than $20,000 over her lifetime to address perimenopause and menopause symptoms and find relief, Ruter said. Dedman hopes the increased attention on women’s health helps to transform the space and lead to better health outcomes.
“I hope companies understand the weight of it, though, and truly seize the opportunity to do research and launch great products, rather than just try to use it as an opportunity for monetization,” she said.
