Best countries for women’s health

Awareness of gender inequalities in healthcare has grown in recent years, however access can still vary greatly between countries, being shaped by public policy, investment, and social priorities.

Of course, some countries are better for women’s health. So, to explore this global disparity, the health insurance experts at Compare the Market have analysed 163 countries across eight key factors.

Examining life expectancy, women’s healthcare access, maternal care, mental health support, and more, we collected all this data together to create a detailed women’s health index, highlighting the best and worst countries for women’s health around the world.

Read on to discover which are the best countries for women’s health, and what changes still need to happen for true health equality to be reached.

Which countries are leading the way in women’s health care?

To provide a quick look at how our top countries are doing, we broke down our women’s health index into eight key indicators. Here are the nations that performed best in each category:

Which are the best and worst countries for women’s health

Starting from the top, the following are the top five countries ranking the highest in women’s health:

Indeed, these countries show an average maternal mortality rate of 15, a life expectancy of 72.4, and near-perfect health coverage scores in all areas, hence their high placement. However, at the other end of the spectrum, the following countries perform the worst when it comes to women’s health:

Here, life expectancy averages at just 50.9, maternal mortality rates soar to 546, and health coverage scores just 39.8 out of 80.

This gap is a stark one!

Life expectancy is 72 on average in the top countries compared to nearly 51 in the lowest. Maternal mortality is 189% higher in the bottom five, and premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are 21 percentage points higher in the bottom countries. The top countries mostly score a perfect 80 in universal health coverage (Vietnam is 68), while the lowest all score under 55.

Interestingly, the difference in women with mental health disorders is small (only 4%), and cancer rates are higher in the top five (205 vs. 125), though, again, this likely reflects the prevalence of better screening technology and early diagnosis.

High performers like South Korea and Singapore benefit from well-funded public healthcare, strong preventive care, and broad insurance coverage. In contrast, low-ranking nations such as Haiti and Somalia face political instability, weak health infrastructure, and limited access to trained professionals, especially in rural areas.

These disparities show how policy, investment, and governance critically shape women’s health worldwide.

Which countries have the best women’s healthcare in Europe?

Of the 163 countries analysed, 43 are in Europe. Here, average life expectancy is 68, ranging from 63.6 in Moldova to 71.8 in Spain. Premature deaths from chronic conditions also stay below 17%, and maternal mortality peaks at 20 in Georgia.

Top European countries for women’s health include:

These nations have an average of just 4% of women with unmet contraceptive needs, perfect healthcare access scores, a maternal mortality rate averaging 5, 15.8% prevalence of mental disorders, an 8% chance of premature death from chronic illness, and a life expectancy of around 70.

Meanwhile, at the lower end of Europe’s nations, we have:

But while they rank lowest in Europe, they sit mid-table globally.

More generally, Northern and Central Europe overall scores high, with Sweden (77.21), Norway (76.28), and the Netherlands (74.20) taking the lead here.

These countries average 5% unmet contraceptive needs, only 20.5% of women affected by ill weight or anaemia, there are less than 10% premature deaths from chronic disease, less than 20% with mental health disorders, full healthcare coverage, and maternal mortality sits below 5, lower than the top five overall, and life expectancy is near 70.7.

Alongside this, mental health prevalence across Europe remains moderate (11-23%), reflecting strong early intervention and care access, while higher cancer rates in countries like Sweden and Norway once more probably indicate more thorough screening, rather than greater risk.

What is women’s health care like in Australia?

Australia scores highly for women’s health overall, with a universal health coverage index of 80, life expectancy at 71.1 years, and a low maternal mortality rate of just 2 per 100k women. These figures reflect the strength of Australia’s public health policies, including widespread access to maternal care and mental health services, especially in urban centres.

However, challenges remain. Mental health disorders affect 19.2% of women, and cancer prevalence is notably high at 415.21 cases per 100k, which is well above that of many other countries. Additionally, 23.6% of women are considered over or underweight or anaemic, and 8% report unmet contraceptive needs, showing gaps in nutrition and reproductive health support.

Access disparities between urban and rural areas continue to impact outcomes as well. While major cities benefit from well-funded healthcare facilities and specialist services, rural communities often face limited access to these resources, contributing to uneven health outcomes – making addressing these rural-urban divides critical for improving women’s health equity across Australia.¹

Tips for taking care of your health

As our results show, women’s health is absolutely improving across much of the developed world, but there’s still plenty more to be done when it comes to levelling the field in less well-off nations.

Executive General Manager of Health at Compare the Market Australia, Steven Spicer, notes how health insurance can be personalised to suit specific needs and conditions.

“Women’s health continues to face significant challenges globally, from mental health awareness gaps to unequal access to preventive care,” Mr Spicer said.

“Health insurance in Australia can help bridge the gap and allow you to personalise your policies for your own needs. If extras such as optical and physiotherapy are important for you, then you can include them as extras in your cover.

“Other options such as pregnancy and birth-related services can be included in Gold hospital cover.

“It’s important to understand the different waiting periods for these extras, as well as waiting periods that can apply to hospital cover. For example, Pregnancy and birth typically has a 12-month waiting period when it comes to health insurance.

“When looking to take out private health insurance, it’s always a good idea to compare your options to find the right policy for you and your lifestyle.”