Essential Insights for Women's Health

Gynaecology is the branch of medicine, devoted to the health of the female reproductive system, integrating the diagnosis with treatment, as well as prevention from malfunctions in organs like the uterus, ovaries, and vagina.

The central axis of this field, being women's health encompasses both: the physical and emotional well-being of women revolving around conditions unique to women, as well as those that may affect women in a different manner compared to men. Specifically, these could be menstrual problems, infections, infertility, and cancers of the reproductive organs

Q1. Looking back on your career, which breakthrough or patient outcome are you most proud of, and why?

Throughout my career, I have come to realize that there is an urgent need to educate and empower women around a topic that closely relates to them: women's health. Raising awareness on this topic is of utmost importance as it seems that while there is enough information on women's health issues, they still disregard their health.

Scientific data shows that for many years our specialty has focused on what is called the "bikini" medicine and essentially includes breast diseases and female reproduction. I owe to point out that we did manage to reduce breast cancer and perinatal morbidity significantly. However, we omitted from research other important chapters such as menopause or endometriosis, osteoporosis, hormone replacement and sexual health, which today constitute unmet medical needs. At our times, the most prominent inequalities regarding women's health are inaccessibility and underestimation of the seriousness of women's diseases.

Finally, there remain to be many stereotypes such as period shaming and PMS, which overall degrade women's health. Because of all this, I decided to create, along with 6 other colleagues, an NGO called Women's Health First, which is a Women Gynecologists Initiative that deals with the empowerment of women for women's health. I believe that through this initiative, I will be able to contribute more effectively as a doctor to the wider society, as a whole.

Q2. Which subtle symptoms in gynecology do you find are most often overlooked until they become serious?

Women very often underestimate the arousal of pain in the genital area as they have learned to endure suffering and deal with it in silence. Thus, they may systematically take painkillers for a long time in order to cope with the pain and simultaneously be able to work and take care of their family. They often do not make it known that they are in pain, until it is too late. It is highly probable that when they do share their symptoms, they will receive a response that brings out indifference and underestimation from family members themselves as well as from health professionals. This resopnse is justified by the fact that women's pain is considered by many not to be objective, but that it is the result of disruptions in mental health or hormonal function. The outcome is that diagnoses of serious diseases that could have been treated, are missed.

How do you navigate the challenge of tailoring hormonal or reproductive treatments to each patient’s unique physiology?

In our specialty, individualization-customization of treatment is vital. In order to suggest the best treatment option, we take a very thorough patient history and try to read behind the words, to grasp on the full range of symptoms, needs, and fears that each woman has. This means that the medical approach is patient-centered, tailored to each person individually.

Q3. What recent clinical findings or techniques have most changed the way you manage complex women’s health cases?

There are mentionable changes and innovations that have occured, especially in the way precancerous lesions of the cervix are diagnosed. At the beginning of my career, we only had the Papanicolaou test for the secondary prevention of cervical cancer. Then, primary prevention through vaccination against HPV was made possible. Later in time, other molecular diagnostic methods were developed that greatly increased the accuracy and reliability of early diagnosis. Today, because of these advancements, we can hope that cervical cancer will soon be eliminated.

Q4. How do you approach diagnosing conditions with overlapping symptoms, like endometriosis and PCOS, in a timely and accurate way?

A fundamental methodology in clinical practice is the principle of differential diagnosis. Based on patient history, clinical examination, imaging and laboratory tests, the doctor tries to reach the correct and most precise diagnosis. The experience gained through practicing medicine as well as the close monitoring of the patient are crucial in this pursuit.

Tsiaousi Ioanna, MD, MSc, MBA, PhD

Obstetrician-Gynecologist

References

Cleveland Clinic. “What Is a Gynecologist? When to See One & What to Expect.”

Cleveland Clinic, 1 Dec. 2022, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24489- gynecologist. Accessed 15 Sept. 2025.

"Τσιαούση Ιωαννα", MD, MSc, MBA, PhD - Women’s Health First.” Women’s Health First, 5

Sept. 2025, whfirst.gr/personnel/tsiaousi-ioanna/. Accessed 30 Sept. 2025.

“Women’s Health.” Https://Www.nichd.nih.gov/,

www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/womenshealth.Accessed 28 Sept. 2025.