The historical male dominance in the medical field has led to a bias in health research and care, often neglecting women's specific needs. This oversight is highlighted by Professor Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri from the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience at St. John’s College, who points out that women's hormonal changes affect various bodily systems differently than men.
"Research that wasn’t designed with women in mind has contributed to a healthcare system that doesn’t meet women’s needs," she states. These hormonal fluctuations are linked to differences in mental health disorders between sexes. Professor Amy Milton from the Department of Psychiatry and Downing College emphasizes the need for inclusive research: "Post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, is about twice as common in women as it is in men – and we don’t understand why."
Milton advocates for considering hormonal levels when treating PTSD, noting their impact on therapy effectiveness: "Oestrogen and progesterone levels can make a difference to how well a person responds to exposure therapy." She suggests that scheduling therapy around menstrual cycles could be beneficial.
Breastfeeding challenges also highlight gaps in women's health research. Dr Alecia-Jane Twigger from the Departments of Biochemistry and Pharmacology aims to address this through her work at the Cambridge Lactation Lab. Twigger is developing models using breast milk-derived organoids to study lactation without invasive procedures. "I want to get these organoids to produce milk in the lab - like mini boobs - so I can explore key questions about human lactation," she explains.
Twigger's CAMB MOM study collects breast milk samples to investigate genetic factors affecting milk production and whether medications taken by mothers pass into their milk.
Professor Emma Pomeroy from the Department of Archaeology and Newnham College explores historical insights into women's health transitions such as puberty, pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. Her research suggests nutrition impacts pelvic development, influencing obstructed labor risks: "By examining skeletal remains, we can see that girls who had access to a nutritious diet grew taller and developed larger pelvises."
Pomeroy's work also examines menopause detection through tooth cementum changes and enamel disruptions during growth periods.
The importance of biological sex in drug responses is gaining recognition among researchers and pharmaceutical companies. They are now encouraged to include both sexes in clinical trials or justify exclusions.
Sferruzzi-Perri underscores this shift towards personalized healthcare: "It’s crazy that biological sex has been so overlooked in understanding the body’s responses to drugs and treatments." She hopes Cambridge's focus on women's health will lead to improved healthcare for all.