It’s time women put themselves on their own priority list—starting with their health. Preventive care today is the foundation for strength, vitality, and long-term well-being. Yet, despite playing a central role in managing the health of their families—from booking children’s vaccinations to coordinating doctor visits for ageing parents—many women neglect their own wellness.
The Silent Sacrifice: Women and Preventive Care
Even with rising awareness around well-being, women often delay or skip routine health screenings. Ignoring warning signs like chronic fatigue, irregular menstrual cycles, or forgoing mammograms can lead to serious long-term complications. The risk? Diseases that could have been managed early become harder to treat.
Take Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), for instance. According to Metropolis Healthcare, nearly 1 in 5 Indian women live with PCOS, yet many remain undiagnosed until symptoms worsen. Conditions such as hypertension, osteoporosis, and muscle degeneration also tend to be downplayed—though their impact can be anything but minor.
A major red flag is the low rate of cervical cancer screening. Despite it being preventable with early detection, only 1.9% of women between ages 30 and 49 in India have ever been screened, as reported by the National Family Health Survey. This gap between awareness and action highlights the urgent need to transform how women perceive and practice preventive health.
Early Action, Lifelong Protection
Preventive healthcare should be seen not as a luxury but as a necessity—an investment in a healthier future. Screenings like mammograms, cervical tests, and bone density checks help detect problems before they turn severe. In cases like PCOS, early detection combined with lifestyle changes can significantly reduce risks such as infertility and metabolic or cardiac disorders.
Yet, cultural norms, financial limitations, and emotional hesitations often hold women back. There’s still a widespread mindset that healthcare is an expense, not an asset—especially when there’s no immediate illness.
The Role of Insurance: From Reactive to Proactive
Health insurance is evolving. No longer just a safety net for emergencies, it is becoming a tool for proactive wellness. Today, many policies include annual health screenings, covering essentials like breast and cervical cancer tests, heart health, and more.
Insurers are also offering broader access to gynaecological care, hormone therapy, nutrition guidance, and mental health resources. These additions ensure women can get the support they need before any health concern becomes critical.
Some wellness-focused insurance plans even reward proactive behavior—offering discounts on premiums for women who stay on top of their health through regular check-ups and fitness habits. By linking coverage to healthy living, insurers are encouraging a culture of prevention and self-care.
Workplace & Government Support: Making Wellness a Collective Priority
The workplace is another area embracing this wellness shift. Many companies now offer women benefits such as annual health check-ups, discounted gym memberships, and stress management programs. These efforts don’t just support health—they help foster a culture where taking care of oneself is the standard.
Government initiatives are also stepping in to close healthcare gaps. Programs like the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), which offers free antenatal check-ups, and the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK), which focuses on adolescent health, are vital in extending care to underserved populations, particularly in rural and low-income areas.
A New Era of Self-Care
For generations, self-care has been overshadowed by women’s roles as caregivers, professionals, and community pillars. But that’s changing. Today, women’s health is about more than treating illness—it’s about fostering overall physical, mental, and emotional wellness.
Improved access to preventive screenings, supportive work environments, and health policies tailored to women’s unique needs are turning the tide. Most importantly, we’re beginning to recognize that self-care isn’t selfish—it’s essential.
Wellness is no longer a solo responsibility. It’s a shared effort between women, their families, healthcare providers, employers, insurers, and society at large. When women thrive, everyone benefits. It’s time to put health first—not last.
