It’s time for women to take the lead on their health

Women are brilliant at looking after everyone but themselves. But this week, the spotlight swings firmly back where it belongs – on women’s health.

Women’s Health Week, which runs September 1-5, has become Australia’s biggest reminder for women to stop, check in, and put their health first.

The campaign, spearheaded by Jean Hailes for Women’s Health, is built around daily themes.

“Every check matters” kicks off on Monday, urging women to book the appointments they keep putting off.

Tuesday’s call to action – “Take the lead” – is perhaps the most powerful of all. Too often, women sit in the back seat of their own health journeys, waiting for symptoms to worsen, for time to pass, for someone else to give permission. Taking the lead means stepping up before it’s urgent, asking the hard questions, and insisting that knowledge is power. Because when women take the lead, they don’t just change their own future – they shift it for generations.

By midweek, attention turns to heart health – still the leading cause of death in Australian women. Later, the focus shifts to chronic pain, with one in five women living with persistent pain, and then to mental health, reminding women that being “kind to your mind” is more than a slogan.

Running alongside is Australian Fertility Week, which shines a light on reproductive health. Fertility is often seen as tomorrow’s problem, yet one in six couples will face difficulty conceiving, and fertility decline in women starts earlier than most realise. That’s why conversations about reproductive health need to be part of the broader women’s health discussion.

Egg freezing is increasingly part of that story. Once considered niche, demand for egg freezing in Australia has more than doubled in recent years. For many women, it offers a chance to preserve fertility while pursuing career, travel, or simply waiting for the right partner and time. But it’s not a decision to make lightly – it requires clear, accessible information, something that is often lacking.

That gap is what inspired PreservHer. Our mission is to cut through the noise and deliver straight facts about egg freezing and fertility. We want women to be armed with knowledge before it’s urgent, so choices can be made with confidence rather than panic.

The overlap of Women’s Health Week and Australian Fertility Week isn’t accidental – it’s a reminder that fertility is inseparable from overall health. Looking after your body today can shape the options you have tomorrow.

So, as headlines this week call on women to put themselves first, perhaps the most powerful act is to ask: when was the last time you truly took the lead on your own health and future fertility?

At PreservHer, we’re here to keep that question on the table – and to make sure the answers are within reach.