A new executive order is putting women’s health in the spotlight — just as employers are making similar moves of their own.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Oct. 19 establishing a task force and a new division within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) focused on women’s health.
The new health division — an idea conceived by First Lady Melania Trump — will focus on strengthening scientific research, accelerating medical breakthroughs, and improving health outcomes for American women and girls.
The new NIH Women’s Health Division will aim to advance research into cardiovascular disease, cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, chronic pain, endometriosis, fibroids, polyendocrine metabolic ovary syndrome, infertility, maternal health, menopause, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, and other conditions affecting women throughout their lives, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The HHS also said in a press release that the division will increase scientific review of understudied women’s health conditions; promote advanced research technologies and personalized medicine; strengthen interdisciplinary research; improve understanding of sex-specific health outcomes; increase inclusion of women and girls in clinical trials; reinforce NIH requirements to account for sex as a biological variable; and translate scientific discoveries into clinical practice.
“Women deserve strong research that helps them and their doctors answer key health questions they face at every stage of life,” NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya said in a statement. “This new division will help close lingering evidence gaps, expand and maximize the impact of our research investments, and bring discoveries closer to patients.”
A Growing Workplace Priority
Although the executive order does not immediately change employers’ obligations or benefits requirements, the announcement comes as women’s health becomes a bigger priority in the workplace.
A growing number of employers are realizing that women’s health “doesn’t pause during the workday,” said Dr. Janet Choi, chief medical officer at Progyny, a New York City-based benefits company that focuses on fertility and women’s health. “Fertility treatment, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and menopause can bring overlapping physical, emotional and practical challenges that cross the boundaries of home and work.”
Many employers are taking steps to address those issues with benefits that go beyond traditional health coverage.
Menopause support is one such trend. The percentage of employers offering menopause support or resources jumped to 27%, up substantially from 18% last year, according to the 2026 SHRM Employee Benefits Study. Menopause benefits include hormone therapy, physical therapy for pelvic-floor issues, access to specialists in menopause care, and menopause-specific paid leave.
Once a more private topic, perimenopause and menopause are receiving greater attention as employers recognize their potential effects on employee well-being and work. Menopause-related symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, sleep disturbances, joint aches, fatigue, and cognitive difficulties can interfere with employees’ ability to focus, collaborate, and perform at their best, particularly when symptoms go untreated.
“That can directly affect performance and engagement,” said Leia Spoor, vice president, clinical and expertise, employee benefits, at insurance brokerage Holmes Murphy in Dallas.
Other benefits that support women’s health have grown in recent years as well. Paid maternity leave, now offered by 44% of employers, increased by six percentage points since last year, according to SHRM.
Although fertility coverage is down slightly year-over-year, according to SHRM data, employer offerings could increase in the coming year. A proposal by President Trump, released in May, aimed to encourage companies to offer fertility treatment benefits by making it easier for them to offer those treatments as stand-alone coverage. The proposal has not yet been issued as a final rule.
Still, despite progress in workplace women’s health benefits, gaps remain, Choi said.
“Generous coverage is an essential foundation, but it doesn’t automatically translate into accessible care. Employees may still have to decipher their benefits, find qualified clinicians, understand costs and piece together support — all while managing the challenges that prompted them to seek help,” she said. “By making the path from needing help to accessing it easier for all, employers can support women’s health and family well-being while strengthening employee engagement and their organizations.”
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