On Saturday afternoon, March 8th, International Women's Day, Queen Máxima and Minister Fleur Agema of Health, Welfare, and Sport visited Amsterdam UMC for an important meeting about improving women’s health. This event highlighted Amsterdam UMC's ongoing efforts to accelerate diagnoses and develop more effective treatments for women-specific conditions.
Amsterdam UMC has been dedicated for years to improving healthcare for women, particularly focusing on conditions such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, and fibroids. The hospital plays a crucial role in reducing the time it takes to diagnose these conditions and provides scientific insights and treatments that enhance women's quality of life.
Special Clinic for Female Employees
A significant step in this progress was the launch of a new clinic aimed at the health of female employees. This clinic offers free consultations for women with conditions such as menstrual issues, menopause, and other women-specific health problems. This initiative is unique within the healthcare sector. The demand was overwhelming—within just 30 minutes of opening, 50 employees had signed up for appointments seeking this accessible care option.
"I found it a big step to go to the GP, as I was afraid I wouldn’t be taken seriously. It’s nice to have somewhere to go where there is more knowledge and experience in dealing with these conditions," says Petra van der Sluis-van den Berg, an ICT employee at Amsterdam UMC. This highlights the need for accessible healthcare for women concerned about their health.
The vision of gynecologist Judith Huirne, AR&D-affiliate
The initiator of this women’s health clinic is gynecologist Judith Huirne, an AR&D-affiliate at Amsterdam UMC. Huirne has been advocating for the improvement of care for women-specific conditions since 2007. “These conditions not only affect women’s physical health but also their daily functioning and career opportunities. The societal impact is significant, as are the associated costs,” says Huirne. She has been a driving force for improvements in both scientific and social aspects of women’s healthcare.
According to Huirne, data shows that cycle-related complaints are a significant cause of short-term absenteeism. Ten percent of sick leave in the Netherlands is due to hormonal issues such as menstrual and menopausal complaints. At Amsterdam UMC, the sick leave rate among women is 7.1%, compared to 4.1% among men. “Many women think their issues are just part of being a woman and endure them. This leads to unnecessary sick leave, while these issues could be effectively treated,” Huirne explains.
Healthcare as an Investment
Huirne emphasizes the importance of investing in women's health. "Out of the 53 billion euros allocated to healthcare each year, only a fraction goes to women’s health. And less than 1% of all research funding is spent on women-specific conditions. This is incomprehensible, given that conditions like endometriosis disrupt the lives of millions of women and cost society billions. This must change," says Huirne. According to her, a national strategy for women’s health is essential to prioritize care for women, not only in healthcare and science but also in education and policy decisions about funding distribution.
Societal Acceptance of Women-Specific Conditions
Together with other experts and patient organizations, Judith Huirne has worked on increasing the societal acceptance of women-specific conditions. She collaborated with Women Inc. and received support from ZonMw to launch the national project "Societal Acceptance of Women-Specific Conditions." This project mapped the societal impact of conditions like endometriosis, adenomyosis, and menopause and identified more than 100 knowledge gaps that urgently require further research.
Science and the healthcare system can no longer ignore the daily challenges that women face regarding their health. It is time for action. Societal acceptance of these conditions is crucial to improving the quality of healthcare for women and supporting them in their daily lives and work.
Conclusion: A Step Forward for Women's Health
The royal visit by Queen Máxima and Minister Agema underscored the importance of women’s health and the progress being made at Amsterdam UMC. The hospital continues to be committed to improving care, and the launch of the women’s health clinic is just one of many steps being taken. Judith Huirne, as an AR&D affiliate, and her team continue to advocate for more attention, more research, and more resources for women-specific conditions so that women in the Netherlands can receive the healthcare they deserve.
For more information on the work of Amsterdam UMC and the societal impact of women-specific conditions, you can access the documentation on the website of the Dutch Association for Obstetrics and Gynecology (NVOG).
Read more?
Click here for the full article in Dutch.