The goal of this issue of Gastroenterology Clinics is to present GI diseases which affect women uniquely, such as pelvic floor problems and pregnancy related disorders, or which require a more considered approach such as functional bowel disease or autoimmune processes. It will also address the position of women and female gastroenterologists in the health system as a whole. This issue is published at an exciting, transitional time in the future of gastroenterology, as we adjust approaches for the assessment of disease in a large portion of our patient population, and as we address the challenges in practicing medicine based on the uniqueness of specific populations.