Women’s Health · Topic of the Month
The Future of Women’s Health Products in Australia: Comfort, Transparency and Better Design
How policy changes in 2024–2025 are reshaping women’s health products — from menopause support and period care to intimate care, pregnancy and postnatal products.
Australian women’s health policy went through a significant shift between 2023 and 2025. A Senate inquiry into menopause and perimenopause, referred in November 2023 and reporting in September 2024, produced 25 recommendations covering awareness, data collection, workplace support and access to care.
The federal response that followed included new public investment, new Medicare items and PBS listings for menopausal hormone therapy products from 1 March 2025. For brands, this is not a moment for vague trend language. It is a moment for better product design, clearer information and more careful claims.
Across period care, menopause support, intimate care, pregnancy and postnatal products, hormonal wellbeing and education, the brands likely to earn genuine trust are the ones that can explain what they do, what they do not do, and where professional care is needed.
The policy shift, in order
The women’s health category is moving because public policy, clinical access and consumer awareness are moving together. This timeline keeps the key dates in one place.
2023
Senate inquiry referred
The Senate referred an inquiry into issues related to menopause and perimenopause to the Community Affairs References Committee.
2024
Report published with 25 recommendations
The Committee’s report addressed awareness, data collection, workplace impacts, access to care, medical education and menopause-specific policy responses.
2025
Government response released
The Australian Government published its response to the inquiry and committed to a broader women’s health package.
2025
MHT products listed on the PBS
New menopausal hormone therapy listings, including Estrogel, Prometrium and Estrogel Pro, appeared on the PBS from 1 March 2025.
Awareness and access keep moving
New access measures, longer consultations and menopause awareness activity give the category a clearer public-health context than it has had for years.
Interactive category map
Explore the categories shaping women’s health products
Select a category to see the consumer need, design focus and responsible-claims boundary.
Period care
Pads, tampons, period underwear, menstrual cups and menstrual discs designed around comfort, fit, instructions and lower-waste materials.
Why it matters now
Period care is increasingly judged on usability, body diversity, comfort and disposal — not only absorbency or aesthetics.
Responsible claim boundary
Sustainability claims should map to real standards where relevant. Comfort and fit claims should avoid implying a guaranteed outcome for every body.
What consumers are asking for
Submissions and sector discussion around women’s health repeatedly point to the same theme: consumers want products and services that treat these health stages as normal, practical and worthy of serious design.
Normalise, do not minimise
Women do not want menopause, period pain or postnatal recovery framed as something to quietly endure. Stronger brands use clear, respectful language without making the experience feel like a personal failure.
Be specific about support
There is a difference between comfort support, education, symptom tracking and clinical treatment. Clear brands explain that difference instead of blurring it.
Design for real use
Comfort, instructions, accessibility and inclusive language matter. Better design considers how people use a product at home, work, school, while travelling and during stressful moments.
| What consumers want | Category response | Responsible framing |
|---|---|---|
| Menopause not treated as taboo or something to quietly endure. | Public-facing education, product navigation and supportive language. | Normalise the life stage without pathologising every experience. |
| Affordable, evidence-based treatment pathways. | PBS-listed MHT options and clearer pharmacy or practitioner pathways. | Products can complement care, but should not claim to replace prescribed treatment. |
| More time and clearer conversations. | Longer consults, education platforms and services with clear support pathways. | Do not imply a product can substitute for professional advice where medical care is needed. |
| Products designed for real bodies and real symptoms. | Design-led period care, intimate care and postnatal products with clear usage guidance. | Support comfort and usability, not guaranteed clinical outcomes. |
| Inclusive communication. | Product language that recognises women and also acknowledges that trans and non-binary people may experience these health stages. | Be clear about audience without excluding people who need the product or information. |
Interactive product design checklist
How well does a women’s health product build trust?
Tick the items that apply. This is a practical guide, not a clinical assessment.
Responsible claims check
Which claim is safest to publish?
Click each example to see how AHWA would read the claim.
Lower-risk wording, depending on evidence
A general comfort-support claim may be appropriate for many lifestyle products if it is accurate and does not imply treatment of a medical condition. The brand should still explain the product’s intended use and direct people to professional advice where symptoms are significant or persistent.
Education, products and medical advice are not the same thing
AHWA’s position: recognition in the Women’s Health category assesses product clarity, transparency, usability, sustainability where relevant, responsible communication and business practice. It is not a medical endorsement, does not assess clinical efficacy, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
General wellbeing, comfort, recovery-support and routine-support claims can be appropriate for many personal care and lifestyle products. A claim that a product treats, prevents or cures a specific condition — including low libido, endometriosis, depression, erectile dysfunction, hormonal imbalance or menopause symptoms — can move the product into therapeutic-goods territory.
Testimonials can describe personal experience, but they should not be framed as evidence that a product will produce a guaranteed or typical outcome. This is especially important in women’s health, where consumers may be seeking answers during vulnerable, painful or confusing experiences.
Frequently asked questions
What actually changed for menopause care in Australia in 2025?
From 1 March 2025, several menopausal hormone therapy products were listed on the PBS. Government announcements also connected menopause and perimenopause care to broader women’s health investment, Medicare changes and public awareness work. Check current details against official PBS and health.gov.au sources before publishing exact prices or eligibility information.
Where did this policy shift come from?
A Senate inquiry into issues related to menopause and perimenopause was referred in November 2023 and reported in September 2024. The report included 25 recommendations across awareness, data, workplace support, medical education and access to care.
Is “hormone balancing” a legitimate product claim?
It depends on the product and the exact claim. General wellbeing language may be appropriate when accurate and substantiated. A claim to correct, treat or influence a hormonal condition can move into therapeutic-goods territory and may require the appropriate regulatory pathway.
Does menopause only affect women?
No. Menopause is commonly discussed in women’s health because it affects many women, but some trans and non-binary people can also experience menopausal symptoms. Inclusive product and communication design should acknowledge this without making the page confusing for its primary audience.
Does an AHWA award mean a women’s health product is medically endorsed?
No. AHWA recognition is not medical approval. It assesses clarity, transparency, usability, responsible communication, sustainability where relevant and business practice. It does not assess clinical efficacy and does not replace professional medical advice.
AHWA perspective
Better women’s health products are not simply more elegant or more marketable. They are easier to understand, easier to use, clearer about evidence, more careful with claims and more honest about when professional care is needed.
That is the standard consumers are increasingly looking for — and the standard credible awards recognition should help surface.
Editorial disclosure and health notice
This article provides general educational information for consumers and brand teams. It is not medical, legal or regulatory advice. Product specifications, government programs, PBS listings, Medicare items and regulatory guidance can change. Brands should verify current requirements with official sources and seek professional advice where appropriate.
Sources reviewed for this article
Parliament of Australia, Issues related to menopause and perimenopause; Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Government response to inquiry – Issues related to menopause and perimenopause; Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicine status and PBS item listings for Estrogel, Prometrium and Estrogel Pro; Therapeutic Goods Administration guidance on determining whether a product is a cosmetic or therapeutic good.