# How bad healthcare derails women's entire lives

> Melinda French Gates on the ways the US health system fails American women and how to turn it around.
- Title: How bad healthcare derails women's entire lives · Vox
- Summary: Melinda French Gates on the ways the US health system fails American women and how to turn it around. Poor healthcare for women doesn't just affect their…
- Keywords: melinda french gates, women's health, healthcare, pivotal ventures, gallup survey, menopause, mental health, caregiving, health disparities, black women, hispanic women, medical training
- Source: Vox — https://vox.com/health/503206/womens-health-care-menopause-melinda-french-gates
- Author: Dylan Scott
- Published: 2026-09-18T13:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 3 min
- Topics: melinda french gates, women's health, healthcare, pivotal ventures, gallup survey, menopause, mental health, caregiving, health disparities, black women, hispanic women, medical training
## Healthcare affects more than health
A new Gallup and Pivotal survey shows health problems ripple through women's careers, families, and communities, not just their bodies.
## Half of women had negative experiences
51% of women report negative healthcare experiences in the past five years, compared to 39% of men.
## Doctors dismiss women's pain
One in three women say doctors didn't take them seriously when reporting pain or symptoms, versus 21% of men.
## Women skip care due to cost
32% of women delayed or skipped care in the past year because of cost, compared to 25% of men.
## Half came out without help
Melinda French Gates calls it staggering that half of women who sought care in five years felt they didn't get the help they needed.

> To see that half of women in the United States who sought care in the last five years came out feeling like they hadn't gotten the help or care they needed, that's frankly staggering.
## Health problems damage family life
54% of US women experienced at least one health-related impact on their family life or relationships.
## Careers suffer from health issues
42% of women said their health led to negative effects on their career or work.
## Communities lose women's voices
32% of women said health problems affected their ability to participate in civic life.
## Mental health hits nearly half
48% of women dealt with mental health conditions like depression or anxiety. Black and Hispanic women face worse health outcomes.
## Pregnancy mental health crisis
54% of women experienced mental health challenges during or after pregnancy, but less than one in three who sought care found it helpful.

> The number of women who said they experienced a mental health challenge during or after pregnancy should stop us all in our tracks.
## Women research contraception alone
56% of women must do their own research to make informed contraception decisions. 64% found misleading information on social media.
## Menopause catches women unprepared
37% of women who've been through menopause first learned about it when they started experiencing symptoms themselves.
## Menopause derails careers
28% said menopause affected their work effort. More than a quarter said it made it harder to reach their full potential at work.
## Doctors lack menopause training
Medical schools give minimal menopause education. One doctor got just one lecture across all her years in medical school.
## Caregiving blocks women's healthcare
One in six women delayed healthcare because of family caregiving responsibilities. For Black women it's one in five, Hispanic women one in four.
## Policy solutions exist now
Affordable childcare, home health supports, and paid family leave could help women balance healthcare and caregiving. These policies have broad support.
## Misinformation fills the vacuum
Women turn to social media after doctors dismiss them. Decades of underfunded women's health research leaves room for misinformation to spread.
## Integrated care shows promise
Pivotal is investing in clinics that combine mental and physical healthcare under one roof, especially for pregnancy and postpartum care.

> Right now, women need better care at critical moments in their lives.
## Expanding menopause training
Pivotal is partnering with the Menopause Society to expand physician training so doctors can better help patients experiencing menopause symptoms.
## Research needs urgent acceleration
Pivotal is funding research on how diseases specifically impact women, working to accelerate breakthroughs in years instead of decades.

> That's the kind of urgency women need and deserve.
## Key takeaway

Poor healthcare for women doesn't just affect their physical health, it damages their careers, relationships, and ability to participate in their communities.