Women and girls with reproductive conditions are enduring years of pain because of “medical misogyny”, a new report says.
Their conditions are frequently dismissed due to “pervasive stigma” and a lack of education surrounding common conditions including endometriosis, heavy periods and adenomyosis, according to the Women and Equalities Committee of MPs.
The committee found symptoms are often “normalised” and it can take years for women with reproductive conditions to get a diagnosis and care in England.
Women are being left to endure pain and discomfort that “interferes with every aspect of their daily lives”, leading many to seek private care, the report said.
The MPs suggest there is a lack of medical research, treatment options and specialists – coupled with the “de-prioritisation” of gynaecological care, where waiting lists have grown faster than any other speciality.
Former Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattison, who has premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), gave evidence to the committee, as did TV presenter Naga Munchetty, who has previously shared her traumatic experience of having a contraceptive coil fitted.
They said NHS medical staff need to “take women seriously” when it comes to health problems.
The report’s authors singled out GP surgeries, highlighting a “clear lack of awareness and understanding of women’s reproductive health conditions”, especially when those conditions occur in young women and girls.
They gave a series of recommendations for the NHS and government to improve care for women.
Women’s symptoms ‘dismissed’
Committee chair Sarah Owen said: “Our inquiry has shown misogyny in medicine is leaving women in pain and their conditions undiagnosed.
“Women are finding their symptoms dismissed, are waiting years for life-changing treatment and in too many cases are being put through trauma-inducing procedures.
“All the while, their conditions worsen and become more complicated to treat.”
She said the report must be a “wake-up call” to the NHS and called on the government to act to help transform services.
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‘A sad, but unsurprising, picture’
Dr Ranee Thakar, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said the report “paints a sad, but unsurprising, picture of the reality facing women with reproductive health issues in this country”.
“It also comes at a time when the NHS is once again facing the tension of seasonal pressures being prioritised at the expense of waiting lists and wider stability.”
She added: “As the Committee report recommends, it is imperative that stigma around gynaecology is addressed.”
An NHS England spokesperson said: “Too often in the NHS we hear of women whose health concerns have been dismissed, which is why we are taking action to improve services for women, including rolling out women’s health hubs across the country.
“The hubs are giving thousands more women access to specialist support in the community which not only improves access and women’s experiences of care, but also helps to upskill healthcare professionals with a full range of staff working in one place.
“The NHS is also developing a network of women’s health champions made up of senior leaders in every local care system to drive forward improvements in women’s health.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “It is totally unacceptable that women with reproductive conditions are not getting the care they need and that their voices are not being heard.
“That is why we will overhaul women’s healthcare, placing women’s equality at the heart of our agenda, and ensure women’s health is never again neglected.
“We are investing an extra £26bn in the health system and through our Plan for Change, we will get the NHS back on its feet so it delivers for all patients.”
