Date: December 6th, 2023
St. Louis, MO – In a recent interview with St. Louis Public Radio conducted by Emily Woodbury, Dr. Michelle Oyen, a distinguished bioengineer at Washington University and leader of the Center for Women’s Health Engineering, shed light on the critical need for increased research and funding in the realm of women’s health.
The discussion came in the wake of First Lady Jill Biden’s announcement of the nation’s first initiative for women’s health research, drawing attention to the chronic underfunding of research in this vital field. Dr. Oyen emphasized the pervasive gaps in knowledge surrounding both reproductive and nonreproductive aspects of women’s health.
Dr. Oyen focuses on using materials science to explore long-term complications related to maternal and fetal death. She expressed cautious optimism about the White House initiative, highlighting its potential to draw attention to the multifaceted nature of women’s health.
Dr. Oyen is hopeful that the initiative will bring increased funding to researchers, leading to groundbreaking advancements in clinical practice, new treatments, devices, and medicines. Beyond financial support, she desires to see a cultural shift, encouraging open discussions about women’s health issues.
“Most people don’t realize almost 50% of women have their uterus removed before age 65,” she stated. “We just have to get over the shame and embarrassment of talking about some of these organs and bring them into general conversation.”
Dr. Oyen’s commitment to destigmatizing and advancing women’s health reflects the urgency of addressing the disparities in research and understanding. As her work at Washington University continues to pave the way, her vision aligns with the broader initiative to transform the landscape of women’s health research.