ORWH’s free e-learning courses provide researchers, clinicians, trainees, health care professionals, and other interested learners with a thorough understanding of how sex and gender influence health and disease and examples of applications in biomedical research and practice. The courses are:

• Bench to Bedside: Integrating Sex and Gender to Improve Human Health
• Sex as a Biological Variable (SABV): A Primer
• SABV Primer: Train the Trainer
• Introduction to Sex and Gender: Core Concepts for Health-Related Research

Downloads:

• E-Learning Course Guide (PDF)
• E-Learning Course Flyer

See also Additional Training Resources for the Clinical, Research, and Healthcare Workforce in the Additional Resources section below.

The NIH Maternal Morbidity & Mortality (MMM) Web Portal highlights NIH research efforts to understand and combat the maternal health crisis. It hosts a collection of relevant resources for scientists, clinicians, advocates, and the public.

The NIH Inclusion Outreach Toolkit serves as a resource for researchers to learn about the history and importance of including women in clinical research. It also contains information about related policies and case studies, as well as tools and best practices for advancing inclusion of women in research.

The Prize Competition for Enhancing Faculty Gender Diversity: Toolkit identifies the best practices of the winners of the NIH Prize for Enhancing Faculty Gender Diversity in Biomedical and Behavioral Science, which recognized institutions whose biomedical and behavioral science departments, centers, or divisions achieved sustained improvement in gender diversity. The Toolkit was developed to highlight the winners’ successful strategies, so that their evidence-based approaches may be replicated and translated across additional biomedical and behavioral science departments, centers, and divisions. 

Women’s Health in Focus at NIH contains thought-provoking information about women's health, scientific discoveries relevant to the health of women, and newly funded NIH research. It also explores progress on the entry, retention, and advancement of women in biomedical fields.

View past issues and sign up for ORWH’s monthly email newsletter, The Pulse.

ORWH Programs & Mission Areas

• NIH Fact Sheets of Women's Health Research
• U3 Interdisciplinary Research Fact Sheet
• Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Info Fact Sheet
• Sex and Gender Influences in Health and Disease (Fact Sheet)

ORWH Milestones & Accomplishments

• Key ORWH Accomplishments (30^th Anniversary)
• 30 Years of Advancing Women's Health Timeline
• 30 Years of Advancing Women's Health an NIH Slideshow
• 25 Years of Advancing Women's Health Research Infographic
• Women's Health Research Slideshow - Celebrating 25 Years
• Legacy of Better Science, Better Health for Women (WCPI Presentation 2020)

For Researchers

• Studying Sex to Strengthen Science

E-Learning

• E-Learning Course Guide (PDF)
• E-Learning Course Flyer

30^th Anniversary Poster Series

In 2020, ORWH commemorated 30 years of supporting women's health research within and beyond the NIH scientific community. As part of the commemoration of this milestone, ORWH developed posters on six major topics central to the mission of ORWH. Read and download them below:

• NIH Inclusion Policy
• Maternal Health
• Multidimensional Framework
• SABV Policy
• SCORE Program
• Women in Biomedical Careers

Developed in collaboration with NIH institutes, centers, and offices; federal partners and community partners, the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Research on the Health of Women established NIH’s plan, strategic goals, and vision for women’s health research from 2024 through 2028.

• NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Research on the Health of Women 2024-2028
• 2019-2023 Trans-NIH Strategic Plan for Women’s Health Research
• A Vision for 2020 Women’s Health Research

The Report of the Advisory Committee on Research on Women’s Health: Office of Research on Women’s Health and NIH Support for Research on Women’s Health is a biennial report by the Advisory Committee on Research on Women’s Health (ACRWH) detailing programs and accomplishments from across NIH in the area of women’s health and sex differences research.

• Fiscal Years 2021–2022: Full Report on Research on Women's Health
• All Biennial Reports

Conference and Workshop Summaries

2022 Gender and Health Scientific Workshop

• Workshop Materials and Recordings  

2022 NIH Partnership Summit: Reimagining Women in the Bioengineering, Technology and Data Science Ecosystem

• NIH Partnership Summit: Executive Summary

Advancing NIH Research on the Health of Women: A 2021 Conference

• Perspectives on Advancing NIH Research to Inform and Improve the Health of Women (2021) – Executive Summary
• Perspectives on Advancing NIH Research to Inform and Improve the Health of Women (2021) - Full Conference Report

Other Scientific Reports

• Sex as a Biological Variable - A Five Year Progress Report and Call to Action. This article was co-authored by ORWH Director, Janine A. Clayton, MD, FARVO, and ORWH Associate Director for Basic & Translational Research, Chyren Hunter, PhD, with other NIH colleagues. The article was published in a 2020 issue of the Journal of Women's Health.

Older Reports and Workshop Summaries

• Raising the Bar: Improving the Health of Women in the United States 2015 Workshop Summary
• Enrolling Pregnant Women: Issues in Clinical Trials (Research Forum Summary Report-2010)

ORWH frequently supports reports with the National Academies of Science Engineering and Medicine (NASEM). Listed below are recent NASEM reports related to ORWH mission areas, some of which were supported by ORWH.

2023

• Advancing Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEMM Organizations – Beyond Broadening Participation (2023)
• Inclusion of Pregnant and Lactating Persons in Clinical Trials - Proceedings of a Workshop (2023)

2022

• Improving Representation in Clinical Trials and Research – Building Research Equity for Women and Underrepresented Groups (2022)
• Enhancing NIH Research on Autoimmune Disease (2022)
• Measuring Sex, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation (2022)
• Transforming Trajectories for Women of Color in Tech (2022)

2021

• The Impact of COVID-19 on the Careers of Women in Academic Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (2021)
• Advancing Maternal Health Equity and Reducing Maternal Morbidity and Mortality: Proceedings of a Workshop (2021)
• Advancing Maternal Health Equity and Reducing Maternal Morbidity and Mortality (2021)

2020

• Birth Settings in America: Outcomes, Quality, Access, and Choice (2020)
• Feeding Infants and Children from Birth to 24 Months – Summarizing Existing Guidance (2020)
• Promising Practices for Addressing the Underrepresentation of Women in Science, Engineering and Medicine – Opening Doors (2020)

• Featured videos and webinars can be found on our Videos & Webinars Page.
• To search for videos of specific past events by date, visit our Events page.

The Pearls of Wisdom is an online series of short videos which aims to inspire, motivate, and inform women in the beginning or middle stages of their biomedical careers. These videos are featured on the Women in Science Website, an effort of the NIH Working Group on Women in Biomedical Careers.

ORWH’s quarterly lecture series, “Diverse Voices: Intersectionality and the Health of Women,” amplifies research that incorporates an intersectional framework and addresses a breadth of topics relevant to the health of women.

Explore health information and resources for women developed by ORWH, NIH, and other entities within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Federal Government.

Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) – National Institutes of Health (NIH)

• Resources for Healthy Pregnancy (MMM Portal)

Other Federal Women’s Health Offices

• Office on Women’s Health – Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH)
• Office of Women's Health – Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
• Office of Women’s Health – Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Office of Women’s Health – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Reproductive Rights

• ReproductiveRights.gov - Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Other NIH Institutes and Centers with Health Information for Women

• NIH Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Tools & Resources
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)- Women’s Health and Complementary Approaches
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) – The Heart Truth – Women and Heart Disease
• National Institute on Aging (NIA) – Menopause
• National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) – Women and Alcohol
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) – Women’s Health
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease (NIAMS) – Health Information for Women
• National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) – Women’s Health
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) – Women and Drugs
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) – Health Tips for Pregnant Women
• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) – Women’s Health and the Environment
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) – Women and Mental Health
• National Library of Medicine (NLM) Medline Plus – Women’s Health
• NIH MedlinePlus COVID-19 Resources
• NIH Health Information

Other Federal Agencies

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) – Resources for Women’s Health
• Center for Disease Control (CDC) - Women’s Health
• Indian Health Service (IHS) – Women’s Health

NIH-wide Resources:

• Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office (SGMRO) - Culturally Competent Gender-Related Communications - There is increasing conversation at the NIH and more broadly in our society around practicing cultural awareness and competence in communications related to sex, gender, gender identity, and related topics. Culturally competent gender-related communication is a central way through which individuals can help to cultivate civil and affirming personal and professional environments where gender diversity is valued and respected. To further encourage such an environment at the NIH and beyond, the C3 resource was developed to summarize key information and recommendations for demonstrating cultural competence and sensitivity toward sex, gender, and gender identity.
• Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office (SGMRO) - Gender Pronouns and Their Use in Workplace Communications
• Office of Clinical Research - Clinical Research Training
• Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research (IPPCR)
  • “Considering Inclusion in Research: An Introduction to Scientific and Policy Perspectives,” lecture by Janine A. Clayton, M.D., FARVO, ORWH Director
  • “Women and Minorities as Participants in NIH Clinical Research,” lecture by Samia Noursi, Ph.D., ORWH Associate Director for Science Policy, Planning, and Analysis
• Centers of Excellence in Pain Education
  • Online interactive pain management curriculum resources
• Transgender Training Resources (NIAID Division of AIDS Cross-Network Transgender Working Group)
  • In-person and online educational resources. Free registration required

HHS Resources:

• Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Maternal Health Care (OMH)
  • Free, 2-hour e-learning program designed for providers and students seeking knowledge and skills related to cultural competency, cultural humility, person-centered care, and combating implicit bias across the continuum of maternal health care.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Training and Continuing Education Online (registration/login required)
  • CE courses on reproductive health in specific contexts, including Reproductive Health in Emergency Preparedness and Response; Opioid Use During Pregnancy; Is It Safe? Safety Surveillance through the Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry; PrEP and PEP Action Kit for Women; and Chagas Disease: Optimizing Care for Pregnant Women and Children.
• Improving Cultural Competency for Behavioral Health Professionals
  • Cultural and linguistic competency is recognized as an important strategy for improving the quality of care provided to clients from diverse backgrounds. The goal of this e-learning program is to help behavioral health professionals increase their cultural and linguistic competency.
• Provider Training Series: Helping Adolescent Girls Achieve and Maintain a Healthy Weight
  • Two-part training series that addresses weight bias and equips providers with evidence-based strategies for compassionate, targeted weight management and obesity prevention in girls. Free CE credits are available.
• HIV Prevention Toolkit (OWH)
  • The Toolkit is designed for health departments, clinical staff, academics, program planners, managers, and community providers who are involved in HIV-prevention programs for women and adolescent girls.

Non-Federal Resources

• Integrating Sex & Gender in Health Research  (Institute of Gender and Health, Canadian Institutes of Health Research)
  • Training courses that provide learners with skills to distinguish between and define sex and gender in health research; identify sex and gender differences in the mechanism, disease, or treatment under study; identify methods for integrating sex and gender variables in health research contexts; and assess a research protocol or publication based on the integration or omission of sex and/or gender.
• Sex and Gender Specific Health  (Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center)
  • The Sex and Gender Specific Health website offers sex- and gender-based peer-reviewed educational resources for integration into existing health care curricula in the form of learning modules; a slide library; and IPE, PBL, and simulation case examples. The website also features a video library, which offers disease/condition-specific sex and gender health information to a lay audience.
• Gendered Innovations in Science, Health & Medicine, Engineering, and Environment  (Stanford University)
  • The goal of the Gendered Innovations project is to provide scientists and engineers with practical methods for sex and gender analysis. To match the global reach of science and technology, methods of sex and gender analysis were developed through international collaborations. Gendered Innovations involves experts from across the U.S., the EU's 27 member states, and Canada.
• Meet the Methods series  (Institute of Gender and Health, Canadian Institutes of Health Research)
  • The goal of the Meet the Method series is to equip researchers and trainees with practical tips and tools from prominent researchers on integrating sex, gender, and other identity factors into various fields of health research.
• In order to advance our knowledge of the influences of sex and gender in health and disease, researchers must account for sex and gender in their research design and reporting. Several journals have begun adding guidance for sex and gender based reporting to their information for authors, such as Cell and Lancet journals. These serve as helpful examples for the scientific community.

Many NIH Institutes and Centers as well as other federal agencies and have offices or content focused on women’s health and women’s health research. Many of these pages are highlighted below.

Other Federal Offices on Women’s Health

• Office on Women’s Health - Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH)
• Office of Women’s Health – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Office of Women’s Health – Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Office of Women's Health  – Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)

NIH Institutes and Centers

• Fogarty International Center (FIC) – Maternal and Child Health News, Resources, and Funding for Global Health Researchers
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) - Women’s Health and Complementary Approaches
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) – Women’s Health
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) – The Heart Truth – Women and Heart Disease
• National Institute on Aging (NIA) – Menopause
• National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) – Women and Alcohol
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) – Women’s Health
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease (NIAMS) – Health Information for Women
• National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) – Women’s Health
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) – Women and Drugs
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) – Health Tips for Pregnant Women
• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) – Women’s Health and the Environment
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) – Women and Mental Health
• National Library of Medline Plus – Women’s Health

Other Federal Agencies

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) – Topic: Women
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) – Resources for Women’s Health
• Center for Disease Control (CDC) - Women’s Health
• FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health – Health of Women Program
• Indian Health Service (IHS) – Women’s Health

• Women's Health Innovation Opportunity Map 2023: 50 High-Return Opportunities to Advance Global Women's Health R&D (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and NIH)
  ​​​​​​The full report (in English and French) from the Innovation Equity Forum sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and ORWH, provides a guide that stakeholders across the women's health R&D ecosystem — from researchers to entrepreneurs, investors, government bodies, biopharmaceutical companies, civil society, and more — can use to advance high-impact investments and initiatives to improve women's health within the next 15 years. Additional resources are included below:
  • Executive Summary of the Women's Health Innovation Opportunity Map 2023 (in English and French)
  • Roster listing the subcommittees and members supporting the Innovation Equity Forum