This chapter provides a brief overview of the history of women’s health and the array of factors that have played a central role in shaping it. First, it presents a background describing gender-based disparities in health care. It then discusses the cultural context in which women have been perceived by society, their representation in the health care workforce, and the development of the medical specialty of obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), as well as social, economic, and political forces that have shaped the medical care provided to women
