News and Opinion, Events, From the Editors

SDG3 Newsletter: Women's Health

In this Springer Nature SDG 3 Newsletter we focus on women's healthcare, access to treatment, and female health outcomes. Explore blogs about breastfeeding, cancer / oncology, medical devices, maternal and birth outcomes, and the history of women's health. Find blogs, Q&As, a podcast and webinars!

This SDG 3 Newsletter supports SDG targets 3.1 & 3.7 

In the blogs, find answers to the 3 quiz questions & comment your answers below to be named  in the December newsletter! 📢

Use these links to navigate to a section:

In other news...


World Breastfeeding Week🤱

To celebrate World Breastfeeding week, Prof Lisa Amir, Editor-in-Chief of International Breastfeeding Journal,  discusses how breastfeeding-friendly environments support sustainable infant feeding. Learn more in this blog about the environmental, economic and health benefits of breastfeeding  and the importance of having strong support systems.

Contraception and Reproductive Medicine📒

Read this journal highlight where Editor-in-Chief Dr Donna Shoupe explains how Contraception and Reproductive Medicine addresses critical issues affecting contraception, family planning and sexual health across diverse populations, particularly in LMICs.

Women's Health in Britain and America: book Q&A with Dr April Patrick🖊️

Read this Q&A where Dr Patrick discusses how she sought to connect her research and teaching with social issues that matter to her. Her book provides an unparalleled record of women’s health in the UK and the US since 1750. 

Reducing maternal mortality in rural communities 🏠

Don't miss this blog that explains how we can reduce maternal mortality in rural communities and what research is in the pipeline. 

♀️Q1: How much more likely is maternal mortality in rural areas vs urban settings? x2, x3 or x5 more likely?

Affordable Medical Devices for Women’s Health in Low-Income Countries🩺 

Learn how affordable medical devices for low-income countries can significantly improve women's health by enabling early diagnosis and accessible care.

Behind the paper: Effects of air quality and social stress on birthweight📄

Don't miss this blog where Drs Remigio and Clougherty explain how air pollution and social disadvantage interact to influence birth weight in New York City. Read their article published in Environmental Health!

♀️Q2: Did the authors find higher residential NO2 was associated with higher or lower birth weights?

Special issue: Gender-specific differences in radiation oncology treatment🔍

Read this blog to learn why addressing gender-specific differences in radiation oncology is vital for achieving equitable, effective cancer treatment outcomes. Discover more in this special issue by Strahlentherapie und Onkologie.

Gender disparities and bias in cancer care and research🎗️

Learn how we can improve the experience of women with cancer, and why we need more research the reasons for potential gender disparities to ensure we achieve SDG3.8 universal health coverage.

AI for breast cancer prevention

Published during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this article offers a timely expert perspective on how AI is shaping the future of breast cancer prevention. 

Springer Nature promotes Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Text reads, "Artificial intelligence for breast cancer prevention: the vision ahead." Image on the right: A doctor assists a patient with a mammogram.

Podcast: Racial Inequity in Black Maternal Mental Health🤱🏽

Listen to this podcast where Dr Irene Aninye, Chief Science Officer, Society for Women's Health Research discusses the unique challenges faced by Black mothers trying to access mental health support and how we can drive meaningful change. This podcast was produced in collaboration with Biology of Sex Differences and Springer Nature's Black Employee Network, in honour of Black Mental Health Week UK 2025. 

♀️Q3: What week is Black Mental Health Week UK: is it 22-28 September or 12-18 October?


In other news...

World Sexual Health Day 🌍

In celebration of World Sexual Health Day in September, keep up-to-date with current research and projects surrounding sexual and reproductive health.

Stem Cell Awareness Day Q&A 🔬

Ever wondered why stem cell research is so important across medical disciplines? Editorial Board members at Stem Cell Research & Therapy explain why in this blog! 

Gender identity in Indigenous Communities: meet the speakers ⚧️

Watch this readily available webinar where Courtney Ryder and Ebenezer Durojaye discuss colonial legacies, LGBTIQ+ phobia and transphobia, and discrimination. 

Webinar: Recent Advances in Alzheimer’s and Other Neurodegeneration Research 🗣️

Watch this webinar which presents present recent research, efforts, and initiatives put forward by top Springer Nature journals to publish and promote research on Alzheimer's and Neurodegeneration. The speakers cover disciplines such as genomics, genetics, biophysics, and more.


Get involved! 

If you would like to be involved with our SDG 3 initiatives, contact meFollow me, Alice Coe, on Research Communities to be notified of future SDG 3 newsletters.

With special thanks to those who contributed to this newsletter: Tamara May, Virginia Mercer, Dr April Patrick, Amy joint, Shital Bonde, Rita Moreira, Lorena Verduci, Esinu Abadjivor, Satvinder Kaur, Clelia Petracca, Dr Richard Remigio, Dr Jane E. Clougherty, Vicky Brewis, Mariangela Aloj, India Sapsed-Foster, Dr Irene Aninye, Tovah Aronin, Dr Ichiro Sekiya

Comment your 3 quiz answers to be featured in the December newsletter. The next newsletter will include a roundup of Springer Nature's SDG 3 activities in 2025!