For years, women have reported feeling dismissed, unheard, or misdiagnosed when trying to get medical help.
Whether it’s pain being downplayed, symptoms being attributed to stress, or serious conditions being mistaken for minor issues, the gender gap in healthcare is a frustrating reality for so many women, not just in the UK, but around the world. Despite advances in medicine, biases still persist in how women’s health concerns are treated compared to men’s. Here are just some of the reasons why women’s symptoms are more likely to be ignored by GPs.
1. Medical research has historically been male-focused.
For most of medical history, research has been based primarily on male bodies. Clinical trials, drug studies, and diagnostic guidelines were largely developed around male patients, meaning women’s symptoms and responses to treatment were often overlooked.
As a result, many conditions that present differently in women, such as heart disease or ADHD, are less likely to be recognised straight away. This leads to delays in diagnosis and treatment, making it harder for women to get the care they need.
2. Women’s pain is more likely to be dismissed.
There’s a long-standing stereotype that women exaggerate their pain or have a higher tolerance for discomfort. Studies have shown that doctors are more likely to dismiss women’s pain as psychological or overblown, while men with the same symptoms are taken more seriously. In fact, in a recent survey, 56% of British women say that they feel like healthcare professionals either ignore their concerns or don’t take them seriously. This leads to women waiting longer for pain relief, struggling to get referrals for further tests, or even being told their pain is “just stress” rather than a legitimate medical issue.
3. Conditions that mainly affect women are under-researched.
Endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and fibromyalgia are just a few examples of conditions that primarily affect women yet receive far less funding and research compared to other health issues. That lack of medical knowledge means that many GPs are not well-equipped to diagnose or manage these conditions effectively. Women are often left bouncing between doctors before they find one who truly understands their symptoms.
4. Symptoms are often blamed on stress or anxiety.
Women are more likely than men to have their physical symptoms dismissed as anxiety, depression, or stress. While mental health is important, it shouldn’t be the go-to explanation for every unexplained symptom. Many women struggling with serious conditions like autoimmune diseases, thyroid disorders, or heart disease have been sent away with nothing but advice to “relax” or “get more rest,” delaying crucial diagnoses.
5. Women’s heart attack symptoms are different and often missed.
Most people associate heart attacks with chest pain, but in women, the symptoms can be more subtle, such as nausea, jaw pain, or extreme fatigue. Because of this, heart attacks in women are frequently overlooked or misdiagnosed. Studies show that women are more likely to be sent home from A&E after a heart attack, leading to a higher risk of complications or death, simply because their symptoms didn’t match the traditional “male” profile.
6. There’s an assumption that periods explain everything.
Too often, women who report pain, bloating, fatigue, or mood changes are told it’s just part of their menstrual cycle. While hormones do affect health, they shouldn’t be an excuse to dismiss real medical concerns. Conditions like ovarian cysts, endometriosis, or even certain cancers can be overlooked because doctors assume period-related discomfort is normal. Women should never feel dismissed simply because their symptoms coincide with their cycle.
7. Autoimmune diseases are more common in women but harder to diagnose.
Women make up around 80% of autoimmune disease cases, yet these conditions are notoriously difficult to diagnose. Symptoms like fatigue, joint pain, and brain fog can be vague and overlap with many other conditions, leading to frequent misdiagnoses. Many women spend years searching for answers, seeing multiple doctors before finally getting a diagnosis for conditions like lupus, multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis.
8. The lack of female representation in medical training is problematic.
Many doctors, especially older generations, were trained using textbooks and case studies based on male patients. This means they may not always recognise how conditions present differently in women. While medical training is improving, the effects of this outdated education still linger, leading to gaps in understanding and treatment when it comes to women’s health.
9. GPs sometimes assume women are exaggerating their symptoms.
Research has found that women are more likely to be perceived as “dramatic” or “hypochondriacs” when reporting their symptoms, even when their concerns are legitimate. Men are more likely to be given diagnostic tests straight away, whereas women are often told to wait and see if their symptoms improve on their own, resulting in delays in finding the real problem.
10. The healthcare system is designed for efficiency, not listening.
Most GP appointments are limited to 10 minutes, which isn’t always enough time to fully explain complex or long-standing symptoms. When time is tight, doctors may default to the quickest explanation rather than digging deeper. Women often feel rushed or cut off before they can fully describe their concerns, making it harder to get the referrals or tests they need to uncover underlying health issues.
11. Hormonal symptoms are often brushed off.
Menopause, perimenopause, and hormonal imbalances can have massive impacts on women’s health, yet they are often downplayed. Many women looking for help for severe symptoms like brain fog, mood swings, or insomnia are told it’s just “a normal part of ageing.” Without proper medical support, many struggle for years before finding doctors who take their hormonal concerns seriously and offer effective treatment options.
12. Some symptoms don’t fit the “textbook” cases.
Medical textbooks tend to describe illnesses based on how they present in men, meaning that when a woman’s symptoms don’t match the traditional description, they may not be taken seriously. From stroke symptoms to autism spectrum disorder, many health conditions present differently in women but are still diagnosed based on male-centric criteria, leading to missed or delayed diagnoses.
13. The stigma around “women’s issues” leads to embarrassment.
Many women hesitate to bring up issues related to their reproductive health, such as painful sex, heavy periods, or pelvic pain, out of embarrassment or fear of being dismissed. Even when they do speak up, these concerns are sometimes not prioritised in the same way as other medical issues, leaving women struggling with treatable conditions for years.
14. Women are often expected to tolerate discomfort.
From a young age, women are often taught to “push through” pain, whether it’s period cramps, pregnancy discomfort, or postpartum issues. This cultural expectation can lead to women downplaying their own symptoms, which in turn makes doctors take them less seriously. But pain isn’t something to be endured — it’s a signal that something may be wrong. Every woman deserves to have her symptoms properly investigated, rather than being told to “just deal with it.”
