WOMEN’S HEALTH
Women's Health Research Network launched in Ireland
The RCSI initiative aims to advance research dedicated to women's health in Ireland
March 17, 2025
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The School of Population Health at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has launched a Women’s Health Research Network to promote and advance research dedicated to women’s health in Ireland.An event to mark the launch - Advancing Women’s Health Research in Ireland: Bridging Gaps and Building Collaborative Pathways - took place at the RCSI campus to coincide with International Women’s Day.The network brings together researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers and patient advocates to discuss research priorities and opportunities for collaboration.Women experience unique health challenges, yet many conditions remain poorly understood or lack tailored prevention, diagnosis and management strategies:
- One in five women of reproductive age lives with obesity in Ireland impacting reproductive health, pregnancy outcomes and intergenerational health
- One in six couples in Ireland experiences infertility
- Endometriosis effects an estimated 155,000 of women here
- Young women in Ireland have the highest levels of negative mental health
- Heart disease and stroke account for a quarter of all female deaths in Ireland
- Menopause increases the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease
- Each year almost 3,600 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Ireland - 30% of all cancer diagnoses
- Leaders of the new network are calling for significant increases in funding for women’s health research in Ireland.
Dr Angela Flynn, senior lecturer in the School of Population Health at RCSI and co-founder of the Women’s Health Research Network at RCSI highlights the challenges: "Women’s health has been underrepresented in Ireland’s research agenda for far too long. A long-term investment strategy is needed to secure dedicated funding from national agencies. Additionally, increasing opportunities for early and mid-career researchers is critical to training and retaining the next generation of women’s health scientists in Ireland."The event featured discussions, patient perspectives and conversations about the future of women’s health research in Ireland.