Bikini Medicine

By: Anoushka Barve

Despite the odd name, “Bikini medicine” is a term used to describe the approach in medical research and practice that primarily focuses on women’s reproductive organs and issues. This narrow-minded mindset has led to the neglect of other aspects of women’s health. As the name suggests, this way of thinking only focuses on the parts of a female body that a bikini would cover: the breasts and reproductive organs. And while it is essential to continue research in these parts, women’s health encompasses more.

Let’s state the obvious: Historically, medical research has been (and continues to be) male-centric with its subjects and researchers. A reason for this disparity includes the fear of hormonal fluctuations in women complicating research results. But that is the very reason why we should expand women’s health research! Underrepresentation in clinical trials contributes to the gap in understanding treatments for women. 

To this day, women’s health research and treatment only focuses on reproductive issues like pregnancy, childbirth, and gynecological diseases, leaving non-reproductive issues overlooked. There is a huge lack of understanding of how these conditions vary for women and how they can be tailored to women’s specific needs. For example, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women; however, women are more likely to be delayed in diagnosis and treatment because of the less obvious symptoms women face compared to men. Another example is autoimmune disorders, which disproportionately affect women (~78% of cases). Yet, medical research mainly studies men, leaving out the complex hormonal influences estrogen plays in the prevalence of autoimmune diseases in women.

Wait! Even though all of these studies are disheartening, we can make a change! Through spreading the word, we can inform others about the dangers of bikini medicine. I heard about this term for the first time at a speech and debate forensics tournament -of all places- and was extremely interested in learning more. Take this as your sign to spread the word. You can learn more about bikini medicine yourself, talk about it with others, or share the word on social media. All aspects of women’s healthcare should be researched and addressed, not just places covered by a bikini.