Medical misogyny leaves women in pain for years, say MPs | Global News Avenue

Women with painful health conditions including menorrhagia, endometriosis and adenomyosis are being turned away when seeking help, a parliamentary report warns.

Members of Westminster’s Women and Equalities Committee concluded that diagnosis and treatment of these common problems can take years, leaving women and girls suffering and disrupting their daily lives.

Chair Sarah Owen said “medical misogyny” “leaves women in pain and their conditions go undiagnosed” and called for more investment and support into women’s reproductive health conditions.

The government called the situation “unacceptable” and said it would “revolutionize women’s healthcare”.

Misogyny is defined as feelings of hatred toward women, or the belief that men are far superior to women.

committee report Members of the group have previously interviewed a number of women about their experiences, including BBC presenter Naga Munchetty and TV personality Vicky Pattison.

The report found “a clear lack of awareness and understanding of women’s reproductive health conditions among primary care practitioners”.

The report also cited the stigma and lack of education surrounding the disease, which is reflected in a lack of medical research, experts and treatments. This means that gynecology waiting lists have grown faster than any other medical specialty in recent years.

The report calls on the NHS to “urgently implement a training program” to improve women and girls’ experience of accessing diagnosis and treatment of gynecological conditions.

BBC News recently reported that waiting lists Number of UK gynecology appointments more than doubled since 2020there are approximately 755,000 women’s health appointments waiting to be made.

Many women shared their experiences Waiting agonizingly for vital treatment and often having to pay for private care.

Clare, 40, paid £10,000 for a hysterectomy 12 weeks ago to relieve the debilitating symptoms of endometriosis and adenomyosis – she would have had to wait three years for the same surgery on the NHS.

Bethany, 27, was diagnosed with endometriosis seven years ago and was told she needed to choose between having a baby or having her uterus removed. She sought a second opinion from the NHS but by the time she had surgery she could no longer move her legs without pain.

She is now exploring treatment through private health insurance.

“Words cannot express how deeply I grieve for the life I could have and should have had,” Bethany said.

Gabriella Pearson, 32, who started menstruating when she was 10, said her menstrual experience was “difficult”.

“My periods were very severe and painful from the start. I also experienced a lot of intestinal and stomach issues.”

When she was 12, she went to the doctor with her mother and was put on birth control pills. But the pain continued throughout her school years.

“I was really struggling with my mental health. In Year 11 I suffered from severe depression and had to do my GCSEs at home,” she told the BBC.

“When you have a chronic illness, you learn to cover up and get on with it because that’s what you’ve been told your whole life. Especially as a woman – you’re supposed to suck it up and shut up.”

Gabriella is no longer able to work, but she co-founded a charity called the Menstrual Health Project, which she volunteers to help run to support women.

Her fertility was affected and she was unable to have children naturally. She is awaiting a hysterectomy next year due to adenomyosis, a condition she describes as “scary”.

“It’s really sad that we normalize things that shouldn’t be done. We normalize things like endometriosis, adenomyosis, uterine fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome, a lot of pain, menstrual bleeding and all the Bowel symptoms normalize, which is really sad.”

Labor MP Owen, who chairs the Equality Committee, said: “Women are finding their symptoms are being ignored, they are waiting years for life-changing treatment and in too many cases are undergoing traumatic surgeries.

“Meanwhile, their condition continues to worsen and treatment becomes more complex.”

As many as one in three women suffer from heavy menstrual bleeding, while one in 10 suffers from conditions such as endometriosis or adenomyosis, she said.

“Despite the prevalence of these conditions, a lack of understanding and awareness continues and it’s not right.”

She also called for specialist mental health support to be provided to women with suspected or diagnosed reproductive health problems.

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said it was “completely unacceptable that women with reproductive conditions are not receiving the care they need and that their voices are not being heard”.

“That’s why we will revolutionize women’s healthcare, putting women’s equality at the heart of our agenda and ensuring women’s health is no longer ignored.”

They added that an extra £26 billion would be invested in the NHS so that the government would get the service “back on its feet and delivering for all patients”.