Climate change isn’t just an environmental issue – it’s rapidly becoming one of the biggest threats to women’s health worldwide. And while most healthcare leaders are still treating sustainability as a side project, the smartest women’s health innovators are recognizing that climate resilience isn’t optional anymore. It’s the foundation of future-ready healthcare.
Here’s what’s happening: extreme weather events are disrupting maternal care access, rising temperatures are affecting pregnancy outcomes, air pollution is worsening reproductive health conditions, and healthcare systems are struggling with the environmental costs of their own operations. Women are disproportionately affected by climate-related health impacts.
The companies that understand this intersection early will have a massive competitive advantage. They’ll build more resilient operations, attract climate-conscious talent and customers, and position themselves as leaders in the inevitable shift toward sustainable healthcare.
But most women’s health founders are approaching climate considerations reactively, if at all. They’re missing the strategic opportunity to build sustainability into their core value proposition from day one.
The Climate Risks Most Women’s Health Companies Ignore
Unaccounted Health Impacts in Clinical Pathways Climate change is directly affecting women’s health outcomes in ways that most clinical protocols don’t recognize. Heat exposure increases preterm birth risk, air pollution worsens endometriosis and fertility issues, and extreme weather events correlate with higher rates of pregnancy complications. Yet most women’s health solutions are built on clinical pathways that don’t account for these environmental factors.
Supply Chain Vulnerabilities Extreme weather events regularly disrupt pharmaceutical manufacturing and medical device supply chains. Women’s health companies that depend on specialized materials or global manufacturing are particularly vulnerable. Yet few have developed climate-resilient supply chain strategies.
Patient Access Disruptions Heat waves, floods, and storms disproportionately affect women’s access to reproductive and maternal healthcare. If your solution depends on regular clinic visits or consistent internet connectivity, climate events can derail patient outcomes – and your business metrics.
Regulatory and Reimbursement Shifts Healthcare systems are beginning to factor environmental costs into procurement decisions. Insurers are starting to recognize climate-related health risks in their coverage models. Companies that aren’t prepared for these shifts will find themselves at a disadvantage.
The Strategic Opportunity Hidden in Plain Sight
The healthcare sector contributes nearly 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. That’s a massive problem – but also a massive market opportunity for companies that can deliver better health outcomes with lower environmental impact.
Women’s health innovators are uniquely positioned to lead this transformation. Many solutions in reproductive health, maternal care, and preventive women’s health can inherently reduce healthcare’s environmental footprint while improving access and outcomes.
Consider telemedicine platforms that reduce travel-related emissions, home-based diagnostic tools that minimize facility usage, or digital therapeutics that replace resource-intensive interventions. These aren’t just good for the environment – they often provide better patient experiences and more scalable business models.
But capitalizing on this opportunity requires more than good intentions. It requires understanding how climate science connects to health outcomes, how to lead sustainable transformation in complex organizations, and how to integrate climate considerations into patient care and business strategy.
Most healthcare education doesn’t cover these connections. Business schools teach sustainability in abstract terms. Medical schools focus on individual patient care. What’s missing is education that bridges climate science, healthcare leadership, and practical implementation.
The “Healthcare Leadership for Climate Change Specialization” from Duke University fills exactly this gap. The three-course program is designed specifically for healthcare professionals who want to understand and act on the climate-health connection.
Climate Science for Everyone Understanding the physical science behind climate change and its health implications. This isn’t abstract environmental theory – it’s the foundation for making informed business and clinical decisions about everything from facility planning to patient education.
Environmental Leadership How to lead sustainable transformation in healthcare organizations. This covers the leadership skills, ethical frameworks, and team-building approaches needed to drive meaningful change in complex healthcare environments.
Climate and Health for Healthcare Professions The practical integration of climate-informed approaches into patient care and healthcare operations. This course directly addresses how to make climate considerations part of day-to-day healthcare delivery and business operations.
The specialization is taught by climate scientists, leadership experts, and healthcare professionals – giving you both the scientific foundation and the practical tools you need. It’s designed for working professionals, self-paced, and focuses on real-world application rather than academic theory.
👉 Learn more about “Healthcare Leadership for Climate Change Specialization” on Coursera
Climate change is reshaping healthcare whether we’re prepared or not. The women’s health companies that get ahead of this trend – building climate resilience into their operations and positioning sustainability as a competitive advantage – will be the ones still thriving when others are scrambling to adapt.
The question isn’t whether climate considerations will affect your business. The question is whether you’ll be ready to turn that challenge into opportunity.
This piece is part of an ongoing series by Femtech Insider in partnership with Coursera, spotlighting educational resources that help make sense of healthcare’s complexity – and support those working to change it.
