Women's health news you might have missed
In 2026, women's health in Australia moved further up the agenda than it has in years. Parliament opened a new inquiry, Medicare made room for longer appointments, and the cost of ongoing medication came down.
None of these changes trended for long. But if you live with a chronic condition, they can change what your next appointment looks like. Here's what happened, when it happened, and why it matters for you.
Women's pain now has a Senate inquiry.
In 2026, the Senate established a new Select Committee on women's health, chaired by Senator Marielle Smith. It will focus on three areas: women's pain, fertility and postpartum care. Public hearings are planned around Australia (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing).
The government has said it will consider the committee's recommendations for future policy. It builds on the 2024 Senate inquiry into menopause and perimenopause, which found significant gaps in how doctors are trained to recognise and treat it.
Why it matters. For many women, pain has been something to push through or explain away. This inquiry gives women a formal place to share their experiences directly with Parliament, and those experiences can shape what comes next. Your symptoms are evidence. Now there's somewhere for that evidence to go.
Up to 70% more likely to live with chronic pain.
Women are up to 70% more likely than men to live with chronic pain, according to the International Menopause Society. On 18 October 2026, World Menopause Day put that pain in the global spotlight, with the theme "Chronic pain at midlife" (RACGP).
In Australia, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) used the moment to call for more research into menopause care, and for Medicare rebates that better support longer consultations. As Dr Sharon Vasey, Chair of the RACGP Specific Interests Menopause Health subgroup, put it: "Women should not have to accept chronic pain as an inevitable part of getting older."
Why it matters. Pain that was once dismissed as normal is now being treated as a research priority. When the people who train and represent GPs ask for longer appointments, it can mean more time for you to be heard.
More time to be heard.
On 1 July 2025, Medicare introduced new items for longer specialist gynaecology appointments. They cover four conditions: endometriosis, pelvic pain, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and adenomyosis, a condition where the lining of the uterus grows into its muscle wall.
By the 2026-27 Budget, these longer appointments had been claimed more than 19,000 times, with $2.9 million paid in Medicare benefits (Women's Budget Statement 2026-27).
Why it matters. Complex conditions often need more than a standard appointment. There's history to go through, symptoms to describe and options to weigh up. Medicare now recognises that, giving women more time to talk through their health with a specialist.
$25 a script.
On 1 January 2026, the general co-payment for medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) dropped to $25 a script. If you have a concession card, it's even lower.
Co-payment cuts since January 2023 have saved women more than $647 million across 138.7 million scripts, up to March 2026 (Women's Budget Statement 2026-27). New listings have helped too. Since 1 March 2025, more than 430,000 women have filled scripts for newly listed menopausal hormone therapies, and more than 8,500 women have been helped by Ryeqo, a newer endometriosis treatment listed on the PBS from 1 May 2025.
Why it matters. Living with a chronic condition often means ongoing medication, month after month. Managing your health long term shouldn't mean choosing between your health and your budget.
33 clinics, built for endometriosis and pelvic pain.
Endometriosis affects at least 1 in 7 girls and women in Australia. Australia now has 33 dedicated Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinics, funded with $39.9 million from 2022-23 to 2027-28, and the 2026-27 Budget adds further funding (Women's Budget Statement 2026-27).
From July 2026, every one of these clinics also offers perimenopause and menopause care.
Why it matters. There are now specialist places to go for endometriosis and pelvic pain. And because hormones keep changing through midlife, care can continue as your body changes, in a place that already knows your history.
Almost 3 in 4.
Almost 3 in 4 women get joint or muscle pain during perimenopause, according to the International Menopause Society. It now has a name: the musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause. It's linked to falling oestrogen and can show up as joint pain, stiffness and weaker muscles (RACGP).
Care is catching up. A new Medicare item for perimenopause and menopause health assessments started on 1 July 2025, and more than 100,000 women had one by March 2026. By the same month, Australia's Managing Menopause training for health professionals had passed 12,000 enrolments (Women's Budget Statement 2026-27). The government is also developing Australia's first national living clinical guideline for perimenopause and menopause, which the RACGP has welcomed.
Why it matters. Naming a symptom is the first step to treating it. If you're in your late 30s or 40s and noticing new aches alongside an existing condition, it's worth raising with your GP.
Progress starts with being heard.
There's still work to do. But in 2026, women's health was heard in Parliament, in Medicare and in GP clinics. Change doesn't stop with policy, though. It happens in every consultation, every conversation and every woman's experience of her own health.
A few ways to make the most of these changes:
Ask about a longer appointment. If you're seeing a gynaecologist for endometriosis, pelvic pain, PCOS or adenomyosis, ask whether a longer consultation is available.
Find your nearest clinic. Ask your GP about the Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinic closest to you.
Check what your scripts cost. If you're paying more than $25 for a PBS medicine, ask your pharmacist why.
Raise new symptoms early. New joint or muscle pain in your late 30s or 40s can be worth a menopause health assessment.
Share your story. Watch for the Senate committee's public hearings and submissions.
Ovum helps you understand your health story, keep track of what you're experiencing and walk into appointments prepared. Because your health story deserves to be heard.
References
Australian Government (2026). Women's Budget Statement 2026-27.
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (2026). New select committee to continue focus on women's health.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (2026). World Menopause Month media release, 23 October.
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In 2026, women's health in Australia moved further up the agenda than it has in years. Parliament opened a new inquiry, Medicare made room for longer appointments, and the cost of ongoing medication came down.
None of these changes trended for long. But if you live with a chronic condition, they can change what your next appointment looks like. Here's what happened, when it happened, and why it matters for you.
Women's pain now has a Senate inquiry.
In 2026, the Senate established a new Select Committee on women's health, chaired by Senator Marielle Smith. It will focus on three areas: women's pain, fertility and postpartum care. Public hearings are planned around Australia (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing).
The government has said it will consider the committee's recommendations for future policy. It builds on the 2024 Senate inquiry into menopause and perimenopause, which found significant gaps in how doctors are trained to recognise and treat it.
Why it matters. For many women, pain has been something to push through or explain away. This inquiry gives women a formal place to share their experiences directly with Parliament, and those experiences can shape what comes next. Your symptoms are evidence. Now there's somewhere for that evidence to go.
Up to 70% more likely to live with chronic pain.
Women are up to 70% more likely than men to live with chronic pain, according to the International Menopause Society. On 18 October 2026, World Menopause Day put that pain in the global spotlight, with the theme "Chronic pain at midlife" (RACGP).
In Australia, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) used the moment to call for more research into menopause care, and for Medicare rebates that better support longer consultations. As Dr Sharon Vasey, Chair of the RACGP Specific Interests Menopause Health subgroup, put it: "Women should not have to accept chronic pain as an inevitable part of getting older."
Why it matters. Pain that was once dismissed as normal is now being treated as a research priority. When the people who train and represent GPs ask for longer appointments, it can mean more time for you to be heard.
More time to be heard.
On 1 July 2025, Medicare introduced new items for longer specialist gynaecology appointments. They cover four conditions: endometriosis, pelvic pain, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and adenomyosis, a condition where the lining of the uterus grows into its muscle wall.
By the 2026-27 Budget, these longer appointments had been claimed more than 19,000 times, with $2.9 million paid in Medicare benefits (Women's Budget Statement 2026-27).
Why it matters. Complex conditions often need more than a standard appointment. There's history to go through, symptoms to describe and options to weigh up. Medicare now recognises that, giving women more time to talk through their health with a specialist.
$25 a script.
On 1 January 2026, the general co-payment for medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) dropped to $25 a script. If you have a concession card, it's even lower.
Co-payment cuts since January 2023 have saved women more than $647 million across 138.7 million scripts, up to March 2026 (Women's Budget Statement 2026-27). New listings have helped too. Since 1 March 2025, more than 430,000 women have filled scripts for newly listed menopausal hormone therapies, and more than 8,500 women have been helped by Ryeqo, a newer endometriosis treatment listed on the PBS from 1 May 2025.
Why it matters. Living with a chronic condition often means ongoing medication, month after month. Managing your health long term shouldn't mean choosing between your health and your budget.
33 clinics, built for endometriosis and pelvic pain.
Endometriosis affects at least 1 in 7 girls and women in Australia. Australia now has 33 dedicated Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinics, funded with $39.9 million from 2022-23 to 2027-28, and the 2026-27 Budget adds further funding (Women's Budget Statement 2026-27).
From July 2026, every one of these clinics also offers perimenopause and menopause care.
Why it matters. There are now specialist places to go for endometriosis and pelvic pain. And because hormones keep changing through midlife, care can continue as your body changes, in a place that already knows your history.
Almost 3 in 4.
Almost 3 in 4 women get joint or muscle pain during perimenopause, according to the International Menopause Society. It now has a name: the musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause. It's linked to falling oestrogen and can show up as joint pain, stiffness and weaker muscles (RACGP).
Care is catching up. A new Medicare item for perimenopause and menopause health assessments started on 1 July 2025, and more than 100,000 women had one by March 2026. By the same month, Australia's Managing Menopause training for health professionals had passed 12,000 enrolments (Women's Budget Statement 2026-27). The government is also developing Australia's first national living clinical guideline for perimenopause and menopause, which the RACGP has welcomed.
Why it matters. Naming a symptom is the first step to treating it. If you're in your late 30s or 40s and noticing new aches alongside an existing condition, it's worth raising with your GP.
Progress starts with being heard.
There's still work to do. But in 2026, women's health was heard in Parliament, in Medicare and in GP clinics. Change doesn't stop with policy, though. It happens in every consultation, every conversation and every woman's experience of her own health.
A few ways to make the most of these changes:
Ask about a longer appointment. If you're seeing a gynaecologist for endometriosis, pelvic pain, PCOS or adenomyosis, ask whether a longer consultation is available.
Find your nearest clinic. Ask your GP about the Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinic closest to you.
Check what your scripts cost. If you're paying more than $25 for a PBS medicine, ask your pharmacist why.
Raise new symptoms early. New joint or muscle pain in your late 30s or 40s can be worth a menopause health assessment.
Share your story. Watch for the Senate committee's public hearings and submissions.
Ovum helps you understand your health story, keep track of what you're experiencing and walk into appointments prepared. Because your health story deserves to be heard.
References
Australian Government (2026). Women's Budget Statement 2026-27.
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (2026). New select committee to continue focus on women's health.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (2026). World Menopause Month media release, 23 October.
In 2026, women's health in Australia moved further up the agenda than it has in years. Parliament opened a new inquiry, Medicare made room for longer appointments, and the cost of ongoing medication came down.
None of these changes trended for long. But if you live with a chronic condition, they can change what your next appointment looks like. Here's what happened, when it happened, and why it matters for you.
Women's pain now has a Senate inquiry.
In 2026, the Senate established a new Select Committee on women's health, chaired by Senator Marielle Smith. It will focus on three areas: women's pain, fertility and postpartum care. Public hearings are planned around Australia (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing).
The government has said it will consider the committee's recommendations for future policy. It builds on the 2024 Senate inquiry into menopause and perimenopause, which found significant gaps in how doctors are trained to recognise and treat it.
Why it matters. For many women, pain has been something to push through or explain away. This inquiry gives women a formal place to share their experiences directly with Parliament, and those experiences can shape what comes next. Your symptoms are evidence. Now there's somewhere for that evidence to go.
Up to 70% more likely to live with chronic pain.
Women are up to 70% more likely than men to live with chronic pain, according to the International Menopause Society. On 18 October 2026, World Menopause Day put that pain in the global spotlight, with the theme "Chronic pain at midlife" (RACGP).
In Australia, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) used the moment to call for more research into menopause care, and for Medicare rebates that better support longer consultations. As Dr Sharon Vasey, Chair of the RACGP Specific Interests Menopause Health subgroup, put it: "Women should not have to accept chronic pain as an inevitable part of getting older."
Why it matters. Pain that was once dismissed as normal is now being treated as a research priority. When the people who train and represent GPs ask for longer appointments, it can mean more time for you to be heard.
More time to be heard.
On 1 July 2025, Medicare introduced new items for longer specialist gynaecology appointments. They cover four conditions: endometriosis, pelvic pain, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and adenomyosis, a condition where the lining of the uterus grows into its muscle wall.
By the 2026-27 Budget, these longer appointments had been claimed more than 19,000 times, with $2.9 million paid in Medicare benefits (Women's Budget Statement 2026-27).
Why it matters. Complex conditions often need more than a standard appointment. There's history to go through, symptoms to describe and options to weigh up. Medicare now recognises that, giving women more time to talk through their health with a specialist.
$25 a script.
On 1 January 2026, the general co-payment for medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) dropped to $25 a script. If you have a concession card, it's even lower.
Co-payment cuts since January 2023 have saved women more than $647 million across 138.7 million scripts, up to March 2026 (Women's Budget Statement 2026-27). New listings have helped too. Since 1 March 2025, more than 430,000 women have filled scripts for newly listed menopausal hormone therapies, and more than 8,500 women have been helped by Ryeqo, a newer endometriosis treatment listed on the PBS from 1 May 2025.
Why it matters. Living with a chronic condition often means ongoing medication, month after month. Managing your health long term shouldn't mean choosing between your health and your budget.
33 clinics, built for endometriosis and pelvic pain.
Endometriosis affects at least 1 in 7 girls and women in Australia. Australia now has 33 dedicated Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinics, funded with $39.9 million from 2022-23 to 2027-28, and the 2026-27 Budget adds further funding (Women's Budget Statement 2026-27).
From July 2026, every one of these clinics also offers perimenopause and menopause care.
Why it matters. There are now specialist places to go for endometriosis and pelvic pain. And because hormones keep changing through midlife, care can continue as your body changes, in a place that already knows your history.
Almost 3 in 4.
Almost 3 in 4 women get joint or muscle pain during perimenopause, according to the International Menopause Society. It now has a name: the musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause. It's linked to falling oestrogen and can show up as joint pain, stiffness and weaker muscles (RACGP).
Care is catching up. A new Medicare item for perimenopause and menopause health assessments started on 1 July 2025, and more than 100,000 women had one by March 2026. By the same month, Australia's Managing Menopause training for health professionals had passed 12,000 enrolments (Women's Budget Statement 2026-27). The government is also developing Australia's first national living clinical guideline for perimenopause and menopause, which the RACGP has welcomed.
Why it matters. Naming a symptom is the first step to treating it. If you're in your late 30s or 40s and noticing new aches alongside an existing condition, it's worth raising with your GP.
Progress starts with being heard.
There's still work to do. But in 2026, women's health was heard in Parliament, in Medicare and in GP clinics. Change doesn't stop with policy, though. It happens in every consultation, every conversation and every woman's experience of her own health.
A few ways to make the most of these changes:
Ask about a longer appointment. If you're seeing a gynaecologist for endometriosis, pelvic pain, PCOS or adenomyosis, ask whether a longer consultation is available.
Find your nearest clinic. Ask your GP about the Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinic closest to you.
Check what your scripts cost. If you're paying more than $25 for a PBS medicine, ask your pharmacist why.
Raise new symptoms early. New joint or muscle pain in your late 30s or 40s can be worth a menopause health assessment.
Share your story. Watch for the Senate committee's public hearings and submissions.
Ovum helps you understand your health story, keep track of what you're experiencing and walk into appointments prepared. Because your health story deserves to be heard.
References
Australian Government (2026). Women's Budget Statement 2026-27.
Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (2026). New select committee to continue focus on women's health.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (2026). World Menopause Month media release, 23 October.
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