Photo by Noah Silliman on Unsplash

The A to Z blogging challenge has been quite an experience. I have learned a lot about women's health issues, and the medical complications we face because of our reproductive organs and hormones.

Years of medical research has focused mainly on symptoms exhibited by men and developed treatments that work best for men. However things are changing today. There are organizations, websites, doctors, and health care professionals spreading awareness about symptoms of emergency health conditions in women, and researchers are now exploring and developing different treatments that may work better for women.

Medical issues like postpartum depression, endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome, that affect women have been underestimated and often ignored. But there too the landscape is changing. Taboos surrounding periods, and menopause are slowly peeling away, so women find it easier to seek medical help for their discomfort and avoid long term damage.

Early detection of breast cancer and cervical cancer through routine screening, has dramatically improved the chances of survival for women dealing with these issues.

Apart from medical challenges, women have also had to deal with discrimination, prejudice, sexual harassment and repression for centuries.

In spite of all the challenges nature, evolution and society has thrown our way, our species is thriving, which is a testament to the endurance, tenacity and most of all, zest for life that so many women share.

Initially, I was planning on writing about zoonotic diseases and their effect on pregnant women. Zoonotic diseases, like swine flu, are transferred from animals to people. We have a cat at home, and my doctor told me not to clean her litter during pregnancy, because of the risk of toxoplasmosis, which is another zoonotic disease.

So I did find something with Z too, but I wanted to end this challenge on an optimistic note, and so this post is about the zest for life that women have, in spite of being handed a raw deal.

Many women endure difficult pregnancies and go on to have more kids. Women are more likely to donate kidneys than to receive them. And let's not forget the grandmother hypothesis, which may contain the secret to our long life, intelligence and social abilities. So let's raise a toast to women world wide for chugging on whilst tacking the challenges being female inherently carries.

I will conclude with a positive health fact about being a woman. Did you know that, on average women live longer? If you are feeling glum from all the articles you have read so far in this series, then this article is sure to make you feel better. I guess nature always finds a balance.

Three cheers to being a woman. Yes there are a few ways in which we got short changed in the evolutionary game. But it's nothing we can't handle. Let's keep ourselves informed, support our tribe, and fight for a better tomorrow.

I am thrilled to be participating in the A to Z blogging challenge 2018.