Fit for ladies, it sort of goes like this. Because they have more weight in their butt, the seat tube angle, is less i.e. they sit back further behind the pedals which helps them produce power. The seat height is adjusted and then the top tube length is set. When in the drops, the back should be FLAT.
The idea is that in the drops, one achieves the most aerodynamic position. Now that assumes your back, hamstrings and neck have enough flexibility.
Your seat is far below your handlebars so a flat back in the drops, is not possible. Does it matter...no. You will have more wind resistance when riding than others and will go slower for the same power produced.
Short reach handlebars...women are smaller proportionally than men. Why would ladies use the same size bars as men who have longer arms, bigger hands and etc. My wife has short reach bars and it puts her in a better riding position with respect to angles of arms and legs. Here are a couple of pics of her in the drops. Her handlebars are a couple of inches below her seat and the stem in turned down.
Here are some women professional riders we saw in Italy. Note that they are climbing and on the bars and sitting back. Note their positions.
Now, do you have to have the above positions? No. You should choose the riding style that best suites your objectives and fitness. Are short reach bars worth the money? Who knows.
I think for your new bike, you need lower gears.
As a side note...I am a golfer and I took lessions from a pro who had the video. The video allowed him to compare my posture and swing with Tiger Woods and Ernie Els. Guess what, I wanted to swing and look like those guys. I worked very hard to mimic their posture, timing and sequence limited by my flexibility and strength.