In this episode of The Care Circle powered by Motherhood Hospitals, host Snehaa is joined by Dr. Shweta Nayak, Senior Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Motherhood Hospital, Mysore, to talk about why women must prioritise their health across all age groups.

Together, they explore how women often become caregivers first and individuals later, consistently placing their own health on hold while managing responsibilities at home, work, and within their families. Dr. Nayak explains how this pattern leads many women to ignore early symptoms, delay check ups, and normalise discomfort, even though timely care can prevent more serious health concerns in the future.

The conversation takes a life stage approach, breaking down how women’s health needs evolve over time. From adolescence, where awareness around menstrual health, nutrition, and emotional well being is essential, to the 20s and 30s, where women are encouraged to build a strong foundation through lifestyle habits, reproductive health awareness, and early fertility planning.
The episode also focuses on pregnancy and postpartum, highlighting the importance of maternal care beyond just the baby. Dr. Nayak stresses the need for proper antenatal care, nutrition, rest, and especially postpartum recovery, including mental health support, which is often overlooked.

As women enter their late 30s and 40s, the discussion brings attention to early signs of perimenopause such as irregular cycles, sleep changes, fatigue, and mood shifts, encouraging women to recognise these signals and seek timely medical guidance. The conversation also highlights the importance of preventive health screenings, including regular gynaecological check ups, cervical cancer screening, and breast health awareness.

Beyond physical health, the episode addresses the emotional aspect of care, particularly maternal mental health, and the need for stronger support systems and open conversations during pregnancy and after childbirth.

Ultimately, the episode reframes self care not as a luxury, but as a responsibility. It encourages women to take small, consistent steps toward their well being, reminding them that when they prioritise their health, they gain the strength, balance, and resilience needed to show up fully for themselves and for those who depend on them.

Key Takeaways
Here are the key points you shouldn’t miss from this episode:

• Women often prioritise others over themselves, which leads to delayed check ups, ignored symptoms, and long term health risks.
• Early attention to health concerns can prevent serious complications, making timely medical care essential.
• Health needs change across life stages, from adolescence to reproductive years, pregnancy, and menopause, requiring age appropriate care.
• During teenage years, awareness around menstrual health, nutrition, and emotional wellbeing is crucial.
• In the 20s and 30s, building a strong foundation through lifestyle habits, reproductive health awareness, and fertility planning is important.
• Pregnancy care must focus on both the baby and the mother, including proper nutrition, monitoring, and emotional wellbeing.
• Postpartum recovery is often overlooked, but rest, medical follow ups, and mental health support are critical for long term health.
• Early signs of perimenopause such as irregular cycles, sleep disturbances, mood changes, and fatigue should not be ignored.
• Women in their 40s and beyond should prioritise preventive health screenings, including breast health, cervical screening, and monitoring lifestyle conditions.
• Preventive healthcare and routine check ups help detect conditions early, even before symptoms appear.
• Maternal mental health is essential and requires support, open conversations, and timely care during and after pregnancy.
• Self care is not a luxury but a responsibility, and prioritising personal health enables women to show up stronger in every role they play.

Dr. Shweta Nayak, Senior Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Motherhood Hospitals, Mysore. Gurgaon.

0:05 – Opening: Why women often neglect their own health while caring for others
1:02 – Expert insight: Delayed check ups, ignored symptoms, and why prioritising health is essential
2:02 – Topic shift: Understanding women’s health across different life stages
2:16 – Life stages explained: Adolescence, reproductive years, pregnancy, and menopause
3:39 – Teenage years: Menstrual health, nutrition, and emotional wellbeing awareness
5:35 – Women in their 20s: Building long term health, HPV vaccination, and reproductive awareness
6:55 – Women in their 30s: Fertility awareness, preconception care, and lifestyle balance
8:09 – Pregnancy and postpartum: Importance of maternal care, recovery, and mental health
9:38 – Perimenopause: Early signs like irregular cycles, sleep changes, and mood shifts
10:46 – 40s and beyond: Hormonal changes, preventive screenings, and overall wellbeing
11:56 – Preventive healthcare: Importance of routine check ups and early detection
13:00 – Maternal mental health: Emotional wellbeing during and after pregnancy
14:34 – Mindset shift: Why self care is a responsibility, not a luxury
15:34 – Closing: Final thoughts and importance of prioritising women’s health

(0:16) Snehaa: How often have you told yourself, I’ll get that checkup done later, or ignored fatigue, irregular cycles, or persistent pain because someone else needed you the most? For many women, putting themselves last isn’t occasional, it’s a habit. Between managing homes, careers, and caregiving, women show up for everyone except themselves. And slowly, warning signs get normalised. Preventive care gets delayed. Rest starts to feel like guilt. But what if prioritising your health wasn’t selfish? What if it helped you show up stronger, healthier, and more present? Welcome back to The Care Circle, a podcast series by Motherhood Hospitals, your safe space for honest, expert-led health conversations. I’m your host, Snehaa, and today we are talking about something every woman needs to hear, how to truly start putting your health first across every stage of life. Joining us today is someone who has guided countless women through these very life stages. It’s a pleasure to welcome Dr. Shweta Nayak, a highly experienced obstetrician and gynaecologist with over two decades of expertise in women’s health from Motherhood Hospitals, Mysore.

(1:27) Snehaa: So, doctor, my first question to you is, women are often the caregivers in families, looking after children, parents, and sometimes even managing work alongside household responsibilities. Why do you think women tend to neglect their own health? If you can throw some light on that.

(1:44) Dr. Shweta Nayak: Okay, as we all know, women naturally take on multiple roles. First, she is a daughter, then she becomes a partner, then she becomes a mother, and at the end, she is the caregiver of the family. And in trying to manage everything, their own health often takes a backseat. That is a common scenario that we see in and out every day. Many women postpone checkups, ignore symptoms, or delay seeking medical advice because they feel their health concerns are not urgent. In some case scenarios, they are not financially independent also. So that is also one more reason why they don’t take care of their health frequently. But the truth is that early attention to health concerns can prevent many serious complications later. Prioritising health isn’t selfish, it is an essential thing.

(2:34) Snehaa: The second question to you is, doctor, women go through several physiological changes throughout their lives, from adolescence to motherhood and beyond. Can you walk us through how health priorities evolve across different stages of a woman’s life?

(2:47) Dr. Shweta Nayak: Yeah, said by you. It’s like, you know, each, like from the year of birth to the age of puberty, it’s different. From puberty to the reproductive career, it’s different. And postmenopausal health priorities are different. Each stage of a woman’s life comes with its own set of health needs. During adolescence, it’s important to build awareness about menstrual health and hygiene, and about their daily nutrition needs also. In the reproductive years, women should focus on reproductive health, fertility awareness, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. During pregnancy, the needs are different. Proper antenatal care, nutrition, and monitoring becomes crucial for both the mother and the baby. And as the women enter into their 40s and beyond, regular health screening, hormonal health, and preventive care become extremely important. During that time, what happens is that their body is under a lot of hormonal changes, and as a result of which a lot of changes will be happening, and it requires special care during the 40s. Being proactive about health at every stage can make a huge difference to a long-term well-being.

(4:00) Snehaa: Also, doctor, let’s begin with adolescence. What should young girls and their families be aware of when it comes to health during the teenage years?

(4:07) Dr. Shweta Nayak: During this time, a woman’s body or a girl’s body undergoes significant hormonal changes. Here, along with her physical growth, a lot of reproductive hormone changes will also be taking place. And as a result of which, what happens, a girl will attain menarche and her cycles start coming. So, awareness about menstrual health is very, very essential during this time. Along with that, nutrition and emotional well-being is also very important. I stress emotional well-being here because, because of reproductive hormonal changes, there will be a lot of emotional changes in the girl as well. A lot of identity crisis, gender bias, everything comes into vogue. And they have to have regular check-ups regarding that also. Irregular periods, severe pain during menstruation, or symptoms like fatigue should not be ignored. Early education about reproductive health helps girls develop healthy habits and confidence in understanding their bodies. You know, they have to have a proper knowledge about menstruation. Since, in some girls, the cycles will be very regular, but they can be excessive. But in some ladies, the cycles can be very irregular. They could be suffering from PCOD. So, both are not good. And they need to consult a doctor at regular intervals or whenever they face any health or menstrual challenges, it’s very important for them to seek gynaecological help from a gynaecologist.

(5:40) Snehaa: Understood, doctor. Now, moving into the 20s, many women are focussing on careers and studies and building their lives. Health sometimes becomes secondary. So, what should women in their 20s prioritise?

(5:51) Dr. Shweta Nayak: It’s very important for them to build a foundation for long-term health. They should focus on balanced nutrition, regular exercise, reproductive health awareness, and routine gynaecological check-ups. It’s the time where we lay importance for cervical cancer vaccination also. Understanding menstrual cycles, addressing issues like PCOS early, and discussing future fertility planning with the doctors can help prevent complications later. Here, I would like to emphasise on two things. One is HPV vaccination. And the second thing is to have a proper sexual education as well as a contraceptive knowledge. Both are important during this age because these are going to determine their future fertility as well as they are going to get protection from cervical cancer also.

(6:48) Snehaa: Doctor, the 30s are often when many women begin planning families. What are some health considerations women should keep in mind during this stage?

(6:58) Dr. Shweta Nayak: The 30s are very important phase for a lady. The 30s are the years during which a lady would be focussing on her career, education, and she has to focus on her family also. She has to build a family. So, naturally she has to focus on reproductive health also. And 30s are the age during which they need to take pre-conceptional counselling, fertility awareness, and pregnancy plan. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, managing stress, and undergoing routine health screenings can help prepare a woman’s body for pregnancy. Women should also be aware that fertility gradually declines with age. So, early consultation and guidance can be very beneficial.

(7:41) Snehaa: Thank you so much, doctor. Doctor, I’ll ask you the last two questions as well. So, now I’m asking you about maternal mental health. So, pregnancy and motherhood brings a lot of joy, but they can also be physically and emotionally demanding. So, how important is maternal mental health during pregnancy and after childbirth?

(8:00) Dr. Shweta Nayak: Very dynamic conditions where pregnancy care involves, you know, growing up a life inside her body as well as during postpartum what happens is that whatever changes that has taken place during the pregnancy will be suddenly cut off from the body and the body undergoes a lot of transition. So, pregnancy care involves both physical and emotional well-being, regular antenatal check-ups, proper nutrition and monitoring are essential. At the same time, after delivery, many women focus entirely on the newborn, not just the woman. The whole family shifts its focus from the woman to the baby. So, as a result of which what happens is that their health is overlooked and the recovery doesn’t take place. Postpartum care including mental health support that we call it as TLC care, tender loving care, rest, medical follow-ups is crucial for long-term health.

(9:00) Snehaa: Many women start noticing subtle changes in their bodies in their late 30s or early 40s, i.e. sleep changes, mood shifts, irregular cycles. So, how can women recognise early signs that their body is transitioning towards menopause?

(9:16) Dr. Shweta Nayak: See, perimenopause is the transitional phase before actual menopause and it often begins in the late 30s or early 40s for some women. Early signs can include irregular menstrual cycles, changes in flow, sleep disturbances, mood swings, fatigue and occasional hot flushes. Some women may also notice difficulty concerning or changes in skin and hair health. If these symptoms start appearing consistently, it’s a good idea to consult a doctor. Early guidance can help women manage their changes through lifestyle adjustments, nutrition and medical support if needed, making the transition much smoother.

(9:57) Snehaa: Now, doctor, as women enter their 40s and beyond, what health priorities should they keep in mind?

(10:02) Dr. Shweta Nayak: This stage often brings hormonal changes and the transition towards menopause. According to me, menopause is the most important phase in any woman’s life. Regular health screenings should become very important, such as breast health check-ups, cervical cancer screening by doing pap smear and monitoring lifestyle conditions like diabetes and hypertension. Maintaining an active lifestyle and staying proactive about health helps women navigate their phase smoothly. Here, overall, her physical health as well as mental health both have to be considered and not just physical health, for mental health well-being also they should take certain precautions, such as doing meditations regularly, doing pranayamas or breathing exercises can help them to navigate through the phase of menopause.

(10:54) Snehaa: Got it, doctor. Now, the next question, doctor, is preventive health care is something we hear about often, but many women still delay routine screenings. So, what are some essential health check-ups that women should prioritise?

(11:06) Dr. Shweta Nayak: See, the importance of these preventive screenings is that these preventive screening tests can detect the diseases even before it occurs, you know, and it will help a lady to plan her health accordingly. Preventive screenings are extremely important and because of these conditions can be detected very early, even before symptoms appear. Women should prioritise regular gynaecological check-ups, cervical cancer screening through pap smear, and breast health awareness and routine health evaluation should be done. These screenings help in early diagnosis and timely intervention, which significantly improves outcomes.

(11:46) Snehaa: Now, pregnancy and motherhood brings a lot of joy, but they can also be physically and emotionally demanding. So, doctor, how important is maternal mental health during pregnancy and after childbirth?

(11:57) Dr. Shweta Nayak: Maternal mental health is extremely important, but it is often overlooked. During pregnancy and after delivery, women experience hormonal changes. Suddenly, the hormones which were in their peaks during pregnancy, they come down to the lowest level soon after the delivery. So, what happens, the body cannot take it, as a result of which the lady might experience postpartum psychiatric changes. Physical recovery is another aspect and lifestyle adjustment also can affect the emotional well-being of the lady. Late night sleeps, late night breastfeeding, lack of sleep, all these things can add up to her psychiatric health as well. Support from family, open communication and timely medical guidance are very essential.

(12:45) Snehaa: Got it, doctor. So, now my last question to you is, many women feel guilty about taking care of themselves. There is this perception that self-care is a luxury rather than a necessity. How can women start changing that mindset?

(12:58) Dr. Shweta Nayak: It’s very important to understand that taking care of yourself is not selfish. It’s a responsibility. A family’s health depends on its woman’s health. When a woman maintains their health through balanced nutrition, regular exercise and adequate rest, and timely medical checkups, they are better equipped to care for their families and fulfil their responsibilities. Small steps like scheduling routine health checkups, listening to your body and making time for personal well-being, these can go a long way.

(13:29) Snehaa: Thank you so much, Dr. Shweta, for such a meaningful conversation today. And to every woman listening today, remember this, prioritising your health is not an act of selfishness, it’s an act of strength. Small steps like regular checkups, balanced nutrition, rest, movement, and emotional support can create powerful long-term impact. Because when you give yourself the care you deserve, you gain energy, resilience, and the ability to live fully. If today’s episode resonated with you, do share it with the women in your life, your mother, your sister, friend, colleague, because sometimes a simple reminder can inspire someone to put themselves first. If you would like to speak to our doctor or any expert, reach out to your nearest motherhood hospitals and book a consultation today. Until next time, take care, stay informed, and keep your care circle closed.