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Sex Matters: How Male-Centric Medicine Endangers Women's Health and What We Can Do About It
A clarion call about the dangers of medicine for women, as well as a manual for how women can get the right care for their bodies, from physician and leading expert on sex and gender medicine
Sex Matters tackles one of the most urgent, yet unspoken issues facing women's health care today: all models of medical research and practice are based on male-centric models that ignore the unique biological and emotional differences between men and women -- an omission that endangers women's lives. The facts surrounding how male-centric medicine impacts women's health every day are chilling: in the ER, women are more likely to receive a psychiatric diagnosis with regard to opioid use, while men are more likely to be referred for detoxification; the more vocal women become about their pain, the more likely their providers are to prescribe either inadequate or inappropriate pain relief medication; women often present with nontraditional symptoms of stroke, which causes delays in recognition by both them and their health professionals; and a government accountability study found that 80% of drugs that are withdrawn from the market are due to side effects that happen to women (a result of testing drugs mostly on men).
Leading expert on sex and gender medicine Dr. Alyson McGregor focuses on the key areas where these differences are most potentially harmful, addressing:
- Cardiac and stroke diagnosis and treatment in women;
- Prescription and dosing of pharmaceuticals;
- Subjective evaluation of women's symptoms;
- Pain and pain management;
- Hormones and female biochemistry (including prescribed hormones);
- How economic status, race, and gender identity are additional critical factors.
Not only does Dr. McGregor explore these disparities in depth, she shares clear, practical suggestions for what we can do. A work of riveting expose, revelatory insights into the medical establishment and actionable guidance for putting this information to use, Sex Matters is an empowering roadmap for reinventing modern medicine -- and for self-care.
Sex Matters tackles one of the most urgent, yet unspoken issues facing women's health care today: all models of medical research and practice are based on male-centric models that ignore the unique biological and emotional differences between men and women -- an omission that endangers women's lives. The facts surrounding how male-centric medicine impacts women's health every day are chilling: in the ER, women are more likely to receive a psychiatric diagnosis with regard to opioid use, while men are more likely to be referred for detoxification; the more vocal women become about their pain, the more likely their providers are to prescribe either inadequate or inappropriate pain relief medication; women often present with nontraditional symptoms of stroke, which causes delays in recognition by both them and their health professionals; and a government accountability study found that 80% of drugs that are withdrawn from the market are due to side effects that happen to women (a result of testing drugs mostly on men).
Leading expert on sex and gender medicine Dr. Alyson McGregor focuses on the key areas where these differences are most potentially harmful, addressing:
- Cardiac and stroke diagnosis and treatment in women;
- Prescription and dosing of pharmaceuticals;
- Subjective evaluation of women's symptoms;
- Pain and pain management;
- Hormones and female biochemistry (including prescribed hormones);
- How economic status, race, and gender identity are additional critical factors.
Not only does Dr. McGregor explore these disparities in depth, she shares clear, practical suggestions for what we can do. A work of riveting expose, revelatory insights into the medical establishment and actionable guidance for putting this information to use, Sex Matters is an empowering roadmap for reinventing modern medicine -- and for self-care.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published May 19, 2020
103 people are currently reading
4152 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
September 6, 2022
Pros:
- The author focuses a lot on trying to give patients some tools to try and get some control back and telling us exactly what to ask your doctor.
- Inclusivity: There a whole chapter about transgender people. So many books on that topic will mention in the intro that they're basically not going to acknowledge them again in the book and the info mention could save lives.
Con:
In these kinds of books, authors will often include personal anecdotes and there is one in here that left a really bad taste in my mouth. Frankly I'm surprised it wasn't edited out.
The author mentions that her husband (also a doctor) was retelling her a conversation he had with a colleague (a neurologist) who essentially admitted treating a female patient differently (because you know women have anxiety not diseases). When she mentions that, her husband says it was just "locker room talk"... 🤨
Embarrassing.
How am supposed to take you seriously if that's your husband.
I think the topic of this book is very important and I do think the author is making a difference with her work but... aren't you embarrassed??
- The author focuses a lot on trying to give patients some tools to try and get some control back and telling us exactly what to ask your doctor.
- Inclusivity: There a whole chapter about transgender people. So many books on that topic will mention in the intro that they're basically not going to acknowledge them again in the book and the info mention could save lives.
Con:
In these kinds of books, authors will often include personal anecdotes and there is one in here that left a really bad taste in my mouth. Frankly I'm surprised it wasn't edited out.
The author mentions that her husband (also a doctor) was retelling her a conversation he had with a colleague (a neurologist) who essentially admitted treating a female patient differently (because you know women have anxiety not diseases). When she mentions that, her husband says it was just "locker room talk"... 🤨
Embarrassing.
How am supposed to take you seriously if that's your husband.
I think the topic of this book is very important and I do think the author is making a difference with her work but... aren't you embarrassed??
August 31, 2021
This book kept me on the verge all the time. I learned a lot, and I think it'll help me to improve my future research plans. While working on cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging, I have witnessed how many of Dr McGregor's ideas apply to our patients and how crucial it is to count on good radiologists who understand sex differences.
I found many parts of the book extremely sad, as I'm also, as a woman, have experienced medical bias and have many friends who also have felt it. The book made me remember that cruel doctor who told my mother she only needed "a vacation on the beach" and consistently refused to order an endoscopy. She said to my mother, "it seems you're not hurting enough; it must be anxiety." She also threatened her, "you can't have a private examination; if you do, we'll expel you from this healthcare system". Months later, my mom died. She developed a pretty aggressive metastasis on her stomach, which, according to the studies performed after the diagnosis, must have been growing for at least one year. It still hurts.
Reading this book might help many women overcome barriers to access better healthcare. I think it might also be interesting for men who want to understand how sex impacts medical outcomes. Excellent reading.
I found many parts of the book extremely sad, as I'm also, as a woman, have experienced medical bias and have many friends who also have felt it. The book made me remember that cruel doctor who told my mother she only needed "a vacation on the beach" and consistently refused to order an endoscopy. She said to my mother, "it seems you're not hurting enough; it must be anxiety." She also threatened her, "you can't have a private examination; if you do, we'll expel you from this healthcare system". Months later, my mom died. She developed a pretty aggressive metastasis on her stomach, which, according to the studies performed after the diagnosis, must have been growing for at least one year. It still hurts.
Reading this book might help many women overcome barriers to access better healthcare. I think it might also be interesting for men who want to understand how sex impacts medical outcomes. Excellent reading.
February 8, 2020
This book was so fascinating to me; maybe you’re not a non fiction reader, maybe medical information bores you to death; but as a female who’s been interested in all things medical and learning I was excited to read this. Men and women’s bodies are different in many other ways, so why are we just figuring out that our bodies react differently to medication. Why are we as females treated differently in a doctors office or emergency room? Why are we not getting proper testing, or being told we are overreacting or being sent home because we might not fit the textbook definition of a diagnosis? This book hit some great notes for a non fiction medical read. Thanks to Net Galley for this copy.
March 29, 2024
Person in my online pregnancy group: "I have such and such symptoms. What can I take?"
Other person: "Ask your Dr. for a prescription for such and such."
McGregor: "Only 8 medications have been tested on and approved for pregnant women."
Also a fun fact, medications are never tested on old people because they are often taking other medications that can affect results. Also-- generics are always tested on healthy, young men.
Three stars because lots of the info was a repeat for me. What can I say? I'm obsessed with our messed up system.
To be read with Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick, Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, and Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in the Pursuit of Health, etc.
Eta: was on IG today listening to J.I tell a story of a woman who goes to her GP and complains that though she is still exercising and eating and sleeping well she has gained a significant amount of weight. And the Dr says: "time to buy bigger pants."
Just no.
We need to change the system so that people like that don't provide "care" or, at least, are not paid for that "care" if it's provided like that.
Other person: "Ask your Dr. for a prescription for such and such."
McGregor: "Only 8 medications have been tested on and approved for pregnant women."
Also a fun fact, medications are never tested on old people because they are often taking other medications that can affect results. Also-- generics are always tested on healthy, young men.
Three stars because lots of the info was a repeat for me. What can I say? I'm obsessed with our messed up system.
To be read with Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick, Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, and Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in the Pursuit of Health, etc.
Eta: was on IG today listening to J.I tell a story of a woman who goes to her GP and complains that though she is still exercising and eating and sleeping well she has gained a significant amount of weight. And the Dr says: "time to buy bigger pants."
Just no.
We need to change the system so that people like that don't provide "care" or, at least, are not paid for that "care" if it's provided like that.
February 2, 2020
I received an advance copy of this book from netgalley.com.
This is a fairly exceptional book. The author does a great job of outlining the traditional male-centric focus in medicine, and then discussing the implications of this for women's health. Through numerous illustrative and compelling examples of women's experiences of health, she helps to highlight many of the assumptions and blind spots we have in accurately and equally treating women in medicine.
She also makes efforts toward inclusiveness where possible, while acknowledging the relative paucity of research on non-white and non-cis-gender women.
My only complaint is that the author repeatedly uses some memorable phrases and approaches to outlining the book's goals and framework, especially early in the book, leading to redundancy that detracts from the content. This is a minor complaint in an otherwise informative, accessible, and well-written book.
This is a fairly exceptional book. The author does a great job of outlining the traditional male-centric focus in medicine, and then discussing the implications of this for women's health. Through numerous illustrative and compelling examples of women's experiences of health, she helps to highlight many of the assumptions and blind spots we have in accurately and equally treating women in medicine.
She also makes efforts toward inclusiveness where possible, while acknowledging the relative paucity of research on non-white and non-cis-gender women.
My only complaint is that the author repeatedly uses some memorable phrases and approaches to outlining the book's goals and framework, especially early in the book, leading to redundancy that detracts from the content. This is a minor complaint in an otherwise informative, accessible, and well-written book.
November 23, 2022
I had such high hopes for this book....and it met none of them.
I want to start by saying that I appreciate that this book is aimed at the general american audience, not a medical student studying in the UK. I appreciate that you have to pitch it correctly. However, there is a fine line where you risk oversimplifying things and making statements you then cannot support. Throughout my entire reading of this book I kept writing "where is the citation" in the margins. There are so many broad sweeping statements, and none of them are supported. You need to support what you say with proof, this is basic scientific writing.
Another point I kept making is that, the author repeatedly quoted herself and spoke about how much she had done for the field. At one point she commented that she had created "over one hundred experts" at a day long conference. I get you have the experience but you cannot turn people into experts in any topic in one day. This may be a cultural thing, I think it may be something more common in American medical circles but again it left a bad taste in my mouth.
Finally, the comments throughout the book about pharmaceuticals and medications really irritated me. She encouraged asking questions to your physician when being prescribed new medications, which yes I agree, but asking about prolonged QT intervals when you don't even understand what that means is not helpful. These questions will end up scaring more people than helping them. Furthermore these questions are redundant when pharmacists are literally trained to consider them.
Lastly, I am by no means diminishing the point of this book. The main message is important but when you make important points badly you risk diminishing the importance and credibility of the entire book.
I want to start by saying that I appreciate that this book is aimed at the general american audience, not a medical student studying in the UK. I appreciate that you have to pitch it correctly. However, there is a fine line where you risk oversimplifying things and making statements you then cannot support. Throughout my entire reading of this book I kept writing "where is the citation" in the margins. There are so many broad sweeping statements, and none of them are supported. You need to support what you say with proof, this is basic scientific writing.
Another point I kept making is that, the author repeatedly quoted herself and spoke about how much she had done for the field. At one point she commented that she had created "over one hundred experts" at a day long conference. I get you have the experience but you cannot turn people into experts in any topic in one day. This may be a cultural thing, I think it may be something more common in American medical circles but again it left a bad taste in my mouth.
Finally, the comments throughout the book about pharmaceuticals and medications really irritated me. She encouraged asking questions to your physician when being prescribed new medications, which yes I agree, but asking about prolonged QT intervals when you don't even understand what that means is not helpful. These questions will end up scaring more people than helping them. Furthermore these questions are redundant when pharmacists are literally trained to consider them.
Lastly, I am by no means diminishing the point of this book. The main message is important but when you make important points badly you risk diminishing the importance and credibility of the entire book.
June 20, 2021
I learned so much from this book! I actually ended up buying a copy just so I could highlight and tab all the useful sections. It offers a lot of information as well as advice on how to *hopefully* take more charge in your own healthcare. While some of the information is pretty obvious (i.e that medical bias exists. Shocker!) it offers some interesting stories and statistics on how medical bias (specifically regarding sex) manifests itself in everything from emergency rooms and the doctor's office to pharmaceuticals and research in medicine. It also acknowledges the intersections of race, gender and sexual orientation, and how medical bias also plays a role there. While I wish the intersections of these things had been explored more, I was honestly just happy that it was recognized.
The parts I found the most helpful were the sections talking about what you could do specifically when talking to your doctor. I have a lot of anxiety surrounding talking to medical professionals due to some bad experiences in the past, so I think a lot of the tips were useful and I'm excited to try them out.
The parts I found the most helpful were the sections talking about what you could do specifically when talking to your doctor. I have a lot of anxiety surrounding talking to medical professionals due to some bad experiences in the past, so I think a lot of the tips were useful and I'm excited to try them out.
June 13, 2020
***I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review***
For the most part, this book is very informative and offers concrete examples of how women can empower themselves and be proactive in a medical system that is undoubtedly biased. Initially, I was put off by McGregor's tone because she comes off a bit too self-congratulatory, but then again in her line of work and study, it's probably necessary for her to speak up about her accomplishments since men are and have always been doing so. I also struggled with the fact that she can be a bit unclear or inconsistent in her language, particularly around gender and sex. The book could have been more inclusive in this sense. She does, however, address health disparities among BIPOC women, which was appropriate and appreciated. The layout of the book worked well, and her summaries make it very accessible. I particularly liked the action steps and suggestions she included because oftentimes these types of books do a good job of outlining the problem without offering any concrete steps for change. It's clear that McGregor is passionate about her work, and we would all do well to pay attention to how our current healthcare system fails large swaths of our population.
For the most part, this book is very informative and offers concrete examples of how women can empower themselves and be proactive in a medical system that is undoubtedly biased. Initially, I was put off by McGregor's tone because she comes off a bit too self-congratulatory, but then again in her line of work and study, it's probably necessary for her to speak up about her accomplishments since men are and have always been doing so. I also struggled with the fact that she can be a bit unclear or inconsistent in her language, particularly around gender and sex. The book could have been more inclusive in this sense. She does, however, address health disparities among BIPOC women, which was appropriate and appreciated. The layout of the book worked well, and her summaries make it very accessible. I particularly liked the action steps and suggestions she included because oftentimes these types of books do a good job of outlining the problem without offering any concrete steps for change. It's clear that McGregor is passionate about her work, and we would all do well to pay attention to how our current healthcare system fails large swaths of our population.
February 5, 2025
lot's of oversimplification. she made many claims without citing sources or presenting convincing research . . . interesting. wrote long call to actions and resource guides at the end of each chapter for women to use when speaking to their doctors while barely acknowledging that their are so many people that might not have the resources to "speak up" to their physician -- thinking about folks who might not speak english, folks who have poor medical literacy, folks who might not have the time to have these discussions (thinking about low income people who might not be able to afford childcare or take some time off of work). it's harmful to put the responsibility for better care on the patient!
May 10, 2024
An interesting and relevant book about gaps in healthcare such as medical bias, women not being taken seriously, medications that haven't been tested on women, and more. It focuses on ways you can be an advocate for your own health whilst also acknowledging how disappointing it is that such things are necessary. Referred specifically to issues/ medications which impact me and that was neat.
December 13, 2020
A must read for every patient and every caregiver out there!
July 13, 2020
This book made me mad at the world of medicine but also taught great things that every woman should know about taking back their own health.
January 4, 2023
a really good addition to any feminist reading list about the way the female biology has been ignored by the patriarchy for SO LONG
August 2, 2022
For me this is a 3.5 read. It’s a really important subject & I learned a lot.
But, despite the author’s protests, she puts the burden on women to bring about change. It’s incredibly vulnerable to be in pain & you are hardly able to advocate for yourself & for all women while in bed in a hospital gown. I do not believe that healthcare professionals would respond well to being given a three page document on your medical history & I think giving a Dr a print out of a study is far more productive than saying your symptoms aren’t like you usual symptoms of anxiety.
The focus is that of a white, privileged woman. There are sections on trans people & women of colour, but these are at the back of the book, not throughout, so this is still othering. The majority of women do not have the ability to pick & choose where or from whom they seek treatment - one of the author’s suggestions.
This isn’t a bad book. But women deserve more when it comes to advocating for health.
But, despite the author’s protests, she puts the burden on women to bring about change. It’s incredibly vulnerable to be in pain & you are hardly able to advocate for yourself & for all women while in bed in a hospital gown. I do not believe that healthcare professionals would respond well to being given a three page document on your medical history & I think giving a Dr a print out of a study is far more productive than saying your symptoms aren’t like you usual symptoms of anxiety.
The focus is that of a white, privileged woman. There are sections on trans people & women of colour, but these are at the back of the book, not throughout, so this is still othering. The majority of women do not have the ability to pick & choose where or from whom they seek treatment - one of the author’s suggestions.
This isn’t a bad book. But women deserve more when it comes to advocating for health.
Read
May 28, 2024The author includes a great mixture of research, anecdotes, and advice. This excellent book is also an ideal length. I frequently found myself agog at facts and information that were new to me, especially since I thought I'd already read about this topic. Yes, Dr. McGregor includes trans women and women of color in her advocacy and comments.
"...it's important to know that the ways in which drugs--including hormones--combine in a woman's body can produce complications that don't have any equivalents in the male model."
"Women are different from men in every way, from their DNA on up...one of the biggest and most flawed assumptions in medicine is this: if it makes sense in a male body, it must make sense in a female one...Research is revealing that female bodies are physiologically different from men's on every level--from our chromosomes to our hormones to our bodily systems and structures. Therefore, the medicine that works for men doesn't always work for, or even apply to, women."
"Statins...are some of the most prescribed drugs in America right now. And yet, they appear to have little, if any, benefit for the millions of women taking them."
"Every day, across all areas of medicine, in doctor's offices and emergency rooms around the country, women are told...'Honey, it's all in your head.' Let me be clear: this isn't only about feminism...This is about a scientifically validated reality in the world of medicine. Women are being misdiagnosed, under treated, and underserved, in part because providers don't believe them when they say something is wrong."
"Once a diagnosis of anxiety is on a woman's record, every subsequent visit to providers will be colored by that one line item."
"Women under the age of fifty-five who went to the ED with chest pain or other significant heart attack symptoms were SEVEN TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE SENT HOME than their male counterparts. This more than doubled their risk of death and drastically impacted their outcomes." (a New England Journal of Medicine study with more than 10,000 cardiac patients)
"Instead of making anxiety the default diagnosis for women with a certain set of symptoms, we should consider it only AFTER other physical factors have been ruled out."
"While men are more likely to exhibit the classic 'fight or flight' response to stress, women are more likely to operate on a 'tend and befriend' model, which increases limbic activation. (The limbic system is the part of the brain responsible for processing emotion and memory.)... HPA hyperactivity is a common finding in major depression, social phobia, panic disorder, generalized anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, susceptibility to infectious diseases, and cardiovascular disorders."
"The vast majority of the time, I find that "complainers" are not exaggerating, overblowing, or stirring up drama. They have legitimate concerns, and those concerns are...being minimized."
"Women are more likely to receive a psychiatric diagnosis for a multitude of conditions--including stroke, cardiac events, irritable bowel syndrome, autoimmune disorders, and various neurological disorders--while men are more likely to be referred for tests."
"...it's important to know that the ways in which drugs--including hormones--combine in a woman's body can produce complications that don't have any equivalents in the male model."
"Women are different from men in every way, from their DNA on up...one of the biggest and most flawed assumptions in medicine is this: if it makes sense in a male body, it must make sense in a female one...Research is revealing that female bodies are physiologically different from men's on every level--from our chromosomes to our hormones to our bodily systems and structures. Therefore, the medicine that works for men doesn't always work for, or even apply to, women."
"Statins...are some of the most prescribed drugs in America right now. And yet, they appear to have little, if any, benefit for the millions of women taking them."
"Every day, across all areas of medicine, in doctor's offices and emergency rooms around the country, women are told...'Honey, it's all in your head.' Let me be clear: this isn't only about feminism...This is about a scientifically validated reality in the world of medicine. Women are being misdiagnosed, under treated, and underserved, in part because providers don't believe them when they say something is wrong."
"Once a diagnosis of anxiety is on a woman's record, every subsequent visit to providers will be colored by that one line item."
"Women under the age of fifty-five who went to the ED with chest pain or other significant heart attack symptoms were SEVEN TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE SENT HOME than their male counterparts. This more than doubled their risk of death and drastically impacted their outcomes." (a New England Journal of Medicine study with more than 10,000 cardiac patients)
"Instead of making anxiety the default diagnosis for women with a certain set of symptoms, we should consider it only AFTER other physical factors have been ruled out."
"While men are more likely to exhibit the classic 'fight or flight' response to stress, women are more likely to operate on a 'tend and befriend' model, which increases limbic activation. (The limbic system is the part of the brain responsible for processing emotion and memory.)... HPA hyperactivity is a common finding in major depression, social phobia, panic disorder, generalized anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, susceptibility to infectious diseases, and cardiovascular disorders."
"The vast majority of the time, I find that "complainers" are not exaggerating, overblowing, or stirring up drama. They have legitimate concerns, and those concerns are...being minimized."
"Women are more likely to receive a psychiatric diagnosis for a multitude of conditions--including stroke, cardiac events, irritable bowel syndrome, autoimmune disorders, and various neurological disorders--while men are more likely to be referred for tests."
August 7, 2020
Author Alyson J. McGregor is an emergency department physician. In the course of her training and work, she began to consider whether the health outcomes of the women she saw it the ED were worse than the health outcomes for men. Yes, it turns out, they were.
As she describes, almost all traditional medical training (and drug testing) is focused on the workings of the male body . . . plus then on female-specific reproductive organs. Medical training hasn't historically prepared physicians to consider that women's bodies are different from men's bodies in significantly more ways than just different reproductive organs. Women's bodies have different hormonal systems, different manifestations of pain, different ways they metabolize drugs, and different symptoms of disease than men's bodies do.
Add to this lack of knowledge on the part of medical professionals, a cultural tendency women have to apologize for taking up the doctor's time, or to downplay their pain, or to feel too embarrassed to mention some symptoms, and women's health conditions are often not treated as seriously as men's health conditions. A shockingly high number of women in physical distress are told--incorrectly--that they are suffering from anxiety and not from a medical condition. And then they are sent home without treatment.
That's a lot of overwhelmingly bad news. The good news is that Dr. McGregor wrote this book to help women learn to advocate for their own health. She includes coaching points (don't apologize to your doctor for showing up in his/her office!), discussion strategies, lists of questions to ask and scripts you can use when talking to doctors. Plus, she reviews the types of issues that frequently affect women's health, so you can be aware of them and ask your doctor about them.
This book is vital for women to read for their own well being. But also, if you have a female family member you care about, you need to read this for her. She might not be able to advocate for herself in a medical emergency, but you can advocate for her.
P.S. If you've already read Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, you received an introduction to this book in one of the Invisible Women chapters. If you haven't read Invisible Women, you should go read it now. Seriously.
As she describes, almost all traditional medical training (and drug testing) is focused on the workings of the male body . . . plus then on female-specific reproductive organs. Medical training hasn't historically prepared physicians to consider that women's bodies are different from men's bodies in significantly more ways than just different reproductive organs. Women's bodies have different hormonal systems, different manifestations of pain, different ways they metabolize drugs, and different symptoms of disease than men's bodies do.
Add to this lack of knowledge on the part of medical professionals, a cultural tendency women have to apologize for taking up the doctor's time, or to downplay their pain, or to feel too embarrassed to mention some symptoms, and women's health conditions are often not treated as seriously as men's health conditions. A shockingly high number of women in physical distress are told--incorrectly--that they are suffering from anxiety and not from a medical condition. And then they are sent home without treatment.
That's a lot of overwhelmingly bad news. The good news is that Dr. McGregor wrote this book to help women learn to advocate for their own health. She includes coaching points (don't apologize to your doctor for showing up in his/her office!), discussion strategies, lists of questions to ask and scripts you can use when talking to doctors. Plus, she reviews the types of issues that frequently affect women's health, so you can be aware of them and ask your doctor about them.
This book is vital for women to read for their own well being. But also, if you have a female family member you care about, you need to read this for her. She might not be able to advocate for herself in a medical emergency, but you can advocate for her.
P.S. If you've already read Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men, you received an introduction to this book in one of the Invisible Women chapters. If you haven't read Invisible Women, you should go read it now. Seriously.
March 28, 2023
It's hard for me to believe this book came out in 2020 because so much of the general talking points are really well-known in the medical world at this point, and the book seems like it is written both for patients and physicians. Giving the benefit of the doubt that is due to the development of these talking points in current dialogue in recent years. A main criticism I have is that despite having suggested solutions for a lot of the issues she brings up, which is something I admire in a book like this, Alyson J. McGregor's suggestion for women of color is essentially "be aware there is bias against you and find healthcare that doesn't do that." It was a terrible take and completely failed to even acknowledge access barriers. I wasn't expecting solutions, but the lack of acknowledgement was astounding to me. Still giving 3 stars because I think there is so much of value for patients who have safe access to learn from, as well as an abundance of practical tips for how to get the most of out one's healthcare as a woman.
July 8, 2020
I loved this great timely nonfiction book that I think everyone should read. It is an especially important one for cisgender women and transgender men and women. I learned long ago that as a woman you have to advocate hard to be seen and heard, and that definitely applies to the medical world, too.
I appreciated McGregor’s insight and how readable this book was. She covered so many important topics and didn’t shy away from the bias the medical community often has based on gender, religion, culture, and race.
If you’ve never read anything on women’s health, there is a lot to be learned here, and if you have, I still highly recommend this book. I learned a lot and know everyone would benefit from reading this one.
I received a copy in the exchange for my review.
I appreciated McGregor’s insight and how readable this book was. She covered so many important topics and didn’t shy away from the bias the medical community often has based on gender, religion, culture, and race.
If you’ve never read anything on women’s health, there is a lot to be learned here, and if you have, I still highly recommend this book. I learned a lot and know everyone would benefit from reading this one.
I received a copy in the exchange for my review.
February 22, 2022
This book does an exceptional job at educating the public on discrepancies in women's healthcare. I enjoyed how accessible it was - easy to read and understand, with fantastic bullet points at the end of each chapter, and clearly very well researched. My only complaint was that I wish it was longer and more detailed! Although I read it for personal pleasure I am definitely going to include some of the material when I am teaching my primary care paramedic students. Just making my little waves in modern medicine the best way I know how.
March 29, 2022
A look at how women's bodies are not taken into account during medical testing and studies. Lots of tips for women on how to better explain your symptoms and medical history when you are speaking to a physician, to make sure that they don't brush off your concerns as "anxiety" or an overreaction.
It did repeat itself quite a bit. Sometimes the same statements would be made several times in a chapter, with almost the exact same wording. I'm not sure if that was to get the point across, or if it should have been edited better.
It did repeat itself quite a bit. Sometimes the same statements would be made several times in a chapter, with almost the exact same wording. I'm not sure if that was to get the point across, or if it should have been edited better.
December 29, 2023
I really liked the middle part of the book where actual sex related differences in disease pattern and pharmaceutical processing in women are tackled. I found it very informative and insightful, offering a lot of information I had never heard before, even coming right out of med school.
However, this part unfortunately only makes up about half the book and the rest felt very repetitive, anecdotal and talkative to me, without offering a real additional educational value.
However, this part unfortunately only makes up about half the book and the rest felt very repetitive, anecdotal and talkative to me, without offering a real additional educational value.
December 5, 2024
I picked up this book as Dr McGregor's tedtalk was what spurred my masters research.
I found this book to be a good discussion of not only the differences in effectiveness of medication etc, but also the treatment of women in the healthcare system.
The book got a little repetitive to me, particularly through the middle, hence 4 stars. I also listened to the audiobook, and found I needed to turn the speed up to 1.5x to make the narrator engaging.
I found this book to be a good discussion of not only the differences in effectiveness of medication etc, but also the treatment of women in the healthcare system.
The book got a little repetitive to me, particularly through the middle, hence 4 stars. I also listened to the audiobook, and found I needed to turn the speed up to 1.5x to make the narrator engaging.
October 25, 2024
Derinlikli bilgi ve analiz beklediğim için beni hayal kırıklığına uğrattı. Zaten bildiğimiz hali hazırda üzerine kitaplar olan konularda başka bir kitap yeni bir şey pek eklememiş. Ne yapabiliriz bu konuda kısmını eklemiş denebilir ama onlar da çok insanın kendi aklıyla düşündüğü şeylerin ötesinde değil. Neyse ki hızlı okuduğum için çok vakit kaybettiremedi.
May 7, 2020
I think this is a book that all women, and men too, should read if they care about their own health or the health of loved ones. Sexism in the medical field. What, you say? Yeah, we of the Ms. John Q Public, are blatantly uninformed, whether intentionally or not.
A lot of information in here discusses the differences of men and women, and no, not the obvious ones, though they too, do play a large part to the differences we don't think about, or maybe even know, between males and females.
This goes further and gets into the nitty gritty that almost all drug trials are performed mostly on men, making the drugs, male-centric, a term used repeatedly in here. I got it now though.
Women ARE different, so our symptoms and remedies are highly unlikely to be cookie cutter textbook cases. It cites several reknowned specialists, findings, and random incidences the author has firsthand knowledge of. How it may differ than what they've had access to, because again, it's a male-centric medical world we live in.
It talks about the sad dilemma some women face, the stereotypical "it must be that time of the month" or "its all in your head". Inevitably, women also then, may not get the intensified focus to the root cause of symptoms, from a medical professional either. Heart issues are horribly overlooked due to women not having the obvious male-centric symptoms, and are often misdiagnosed as anxiety, panic attacks or other imbalances. The book discusses to be aware of yourself, how to go about that, be frank with your medical professionals, bridge the communication gaps, and don't give up.
This can't be fixed overnight, but the more it's addressed should lead to rectifying a large oversight.
Medicine and the human body is complex enough; diagnoses, causes, remedies, side effects, interactions ... mind boggling. Even more so when a person has to take a regimen of medicines.
I found very useful techniques that may apply for either sex while reading this. The emphasis, however, is to vouch for myself as a woman! And because of the male-centric geared higher learning, my own medical professionals should need to meet MY criteria.
This is truly eye opening, it's finally being recognized as a huge problem that does need to be corrected for the better health of women.
I am grateful to Hachette Books, through NetGalley, for allowing me the chance to read an ARC.
I am voluntarily putting into my own words, my thoughts and opinions on Sex Matters.
A lot of information in here discusses the differences of men and women, and no, not the obvious ones, though they too, do play a large part to the differences we don't think about, or maybe even know, between males and females.
This goes further and gets into the nitty gritty that almost all drug trials are performed mostly on men, making the drugs, male-centric, a term used repeatedly in here. I got it now though.
Women ARE different, so our symptoms and remedies are highly unlikely to be cookie cutter textbook cases. It cites several reknowned specialists, findings, and random incidences the author has firsthand knowledge of. How it may differ than what they've had access to, because again, it's a male-centric medical world we live in.
It talks about the sad dilemma some women face, the stereotypical "it must be that time of the month" or "its all in your head". Inevitably, women also then, may not get the intensified focus to the root cause of symptoms, from a medical professional either. Heart issues are horribly overlooked due to women not having the obvious male-centric symptoms, and are often misdiagnosed as anxiety, panic attacks or other imbalances. The book discusses to be aware of yourself, how to go about that, be frank with your medical professionals, bridge the communication gaps, and don't give up.
This can't be fixed overnight, but the more it's addressed should lead to rectifying a large oversight.
Medicine and the human body is complex enough; diagnoses, causes, remedies, side effects, interactions ... mind boggling. Even more so when a person has to take a regimen of medicines.
I found very useful techniques that may apply for either sex while reading this. The emphasis, however, is to vouch for myself as a woman! And because of the male-centric geared higher learning, my own medical professionals should need to meet MY criteria.
This is truly eye opening, it's finally being recognized as a huge problem that does need to be corrected for the better health of women.
I am grateful to Hachette Books, through NetGalley, for allowing me the chance to read an ARC.
I am voluntarily putting into my own words, my thoughts and opinions on Sex Matters.
June 9, 2024
It's a good introduction to the topic, presented in simple language. You won't find much new information if you already have prior knowledge. However, it's great for those just starting to learn about gender bias in medicine.
March 14, 2025
Compelling anecdotes, fascinating detail, and incredibly empowering. A must-read. Will be revisiting this again
December 27, 2025
Really great informational book about the importance of sex and gender on all things medical. I liked the chapters about pharmaceuticals and hormones.
June 27, 2020
A little too focused on self-help for my taste. I most enjoyed the middle chapters where she examined the effects of sex and gender on specific health conditions, but I still would have liked even more specifics! I will definitely be checking out her 2016 book, which is written more towards researchers and healthcare providers. Her work is fascinating and needs to be heard by more people!
July 24, 2025
I liked this! Very interesting but not overwhelming with information - super actionable. Would recommend!
May 7, 2024
it’s okay, it’s not as good as invisible women. you learn a lot but i also feel like she is repeating herself a lot? or the way it is wrote is really repetitive and doesn’t grip you as well. it’s informative though and i have learnt a lot and i think everybody should read!
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