For generations, women’s health has been studied through a narrow lens. Until the 1990s, most medical research was conducted primarily on men, with the assumption that results would apply equally to women. But they didn’t, and the gap left millions of women without accurate guidance for their unique biology. In recent years, that has begun to change. Science is finally recognizing what faith has always affirmed: women are not a mystery to be solved, but a masterpiece of design. Created with intricate rhythms, resilience, and purpose.
A Historical Gap in Research
Throughout much of modern history, women were routinely excluded from clinical trials. Researchers often avoided including women of childbearing age, citing hormonal fluctuations as 'variables' that could complicate study results. This approach meant that drugs, treatments, and medical advice were often developed based on male physiology. It wasn’t until 1993 that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) formally required the inclusion of women in federally funded clinical research. By then, decades of misunderstanding about women’s cardiovascular, hormonal, and neurological health had already taken root.
Science Begins to Catch Up
Over the past three decades, women’s health research has expanded rapidly. Scientists now understand that symptoms of stress, heart disease, and even medication effectiveness can differ dramatically between men and women. Emerging research on hormonal cycles, circadian rhythms, and stress resilience is providing clearer insights into how women’s bodies function—and how they thrive. Institutions like the Society for Women’s Health Research continue to advocate for studies that honor female physiology as its own essential field, not a subset of men’s health.
Faith and the Design of the Body
For women of faith, these scientific revelations feel less like discoveries and more like confirmations. Scripture reminds us that we are 'fearfully and wonderfully made' (Psalm 139:14)—designed with divine intention. The more science learns, the more it reflects that truth: our cycles, emotions, and sensitivity to stress are not flaws but features of a deeply wise design. Research continues to show that gratitude, prayer, and rest positively affect hormonal balance and nervous system regulation. Faith and physiology, once treated as separate, are proving to be beautifully aligned.
Looking Ahead with Grace
As awareness grows, women are reclaiming agency in their health, not through fear, but through understanding. The call is not to control the body, but to care for it as a sacred trust. By learning, resting, nourishing, and embracing grace, we participate in both faith and science’s shared truth: the body, when respected and supported, was created to heal, adapt, and thrive.
By Kendra Hann, Certified Fitness and Nutrition Specialist
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Works Cited
National Institutes of Health. “NIH Policy and Guidelines on the Inclusion of Women and Minorities as Subjects in Clinical Research.” NIH, 9 June 1993, grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/women_min/guidelines_update.htm. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Society for Women’s Health Research. “The Science of Sex Differences.” SWHR, 2024, swhr.org/resources/the-science-of-sex-differences/. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. “A Historical Overview of Women’s Health Research.” womenshealth.gov, 2023, www.womenshealth.gov/about-us/focus-areas/research. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
American Psychological Association. “Faith and Health: The Connection Between Spirituality and Well-Being.” APA, 2024, www.apa.org/news/press/releases/faith-health. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
The Holy Bible, Psalm 139:14, New International Version.