Findings from a European Parliament’s recent public consultation shed light on the biggest challenges women face regarding their health. As a highlight, between 2 and 3 in 4 individuals reported undergoing unnecessary painful procedures when asked about tests and therapies given to women in the context of gynaecology and/or pregnancy.
About the Public Consultation on Women’s Health
Launched in March 2025 by the European Parliament’s Committee on Public Health (SANT) through an online survey, this initiative aimed to provide a basis for the forthcoming work of SANT. It received a total of 1,908 valid responses, with the majority of participants being women (96%), highly educated (82%), and between 20 to 60 years of age (89%). Moreover, the consultation:
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- Addressed care across different stages (puberty, pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and (peri)menopause);
- Included women-specific conditions (e.g., polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), gynaecological cancers), conditions that disproportionately affect women (e.g. osteoporosis and autoimmune diseases), and factors such as employment, education, and legislation; and
- Touched upon issues affecting the LGBTIQ community.
Pain in the Public Consultation
Gender inequalities in healthcare
When rating inequalities in access and treatment, respondents were asked whether tests and therapies given to women in the context of gynaecology and/or pregnancy were unnecessarily painful. Between 2 and 3 in 4 individuals considered this to be the case.
Also relevant, responses to open-ended questions included examples of pain being dismissed or normalised and lack of pain relief during childbirth and gynaecological care.
Burden of pain diseases among women
The analysis of the results of the European Parliament’s public consultation drew on estimates from the EU from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) to show the high burden of disabling conditions in women, including musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., low back pain, osteoarthritis).
Bladder pain syndrome in the filter questions
In the survey, some blocks of questions started with a filter question, which determined whether respondents would proceed to answer the subsequent questions in that block. One such filter focused on chronic urinary infections or interstitial cystitis, otherwise known as bladder pain syndrome.