International Day of Action for Women’s Health
International Day of Action for Women’s Health (28 May) is a chance not only to recognise women’s health as a fundamental human right, but to ask whether our systems are responding in ways that truly reflect that. This year’s theme, Essential, not optional: strengthening health systems, is a powerful reminder that women’s health cannot sit at the margins of policy or practice[1]. Worldwide, women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights remain under pressure, from widening maternal health inequalities to ongoing barriers to healthcare[2]. Women’s health must be supported by systems that are equitable, accessible and responsive across the life course.
Alongside the dedicated women’s health pillar in the pan-London HIV & Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy, the London Sexual Health Programme (LSHP) is also championing women’s health through its post-pregnancy contraception (PPC) work, which is an area of care that women experience differently across London. Despite clear clinical guidance and strong evidence of impact, access to contraception after pregnancy remains fragmented, creating a “post-code lottery”. For some, support is timely and proactive; for others, conversations happen too late, pathways are unclear, or support is missing altogether[3]. These variations reveal more than service gaps; they show how essential care can still depend on where someone lives or which service they happen to encounter.
Local insight reinforces this, as people still leave services without a clear contraceptive plan, and commissioning of PPC remains inconsistent across London. Consensus at the PPC Workshop held by the LSHP on the 5th May, was that PPC should be recognised as a core part of reproductive, maternity and preventative healthcare, not an optional add-on. A five-phase framework was proposed, spanning pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, the point of outcome, early recovery and ongoing care. It reflects a simple but important truth: people engage with contraception at different points, and services must respond flexibly and consistently.
As we mark International Day of Action for Women’s Health, post-pregnancy contraception offers an example of why women’s health must be treated as essential, with support that is timely, joined-up and available when it matters most.
[1] May 28 – International Day of Action for Women's Health
[2] UNFPA warns of threats to sexual and reproductive health - The Lancet