NEARLY HALF (45%) of women in Wales said they’ve felt pressure to go to work despite experiencing severe period pain.
The data has been released by Endometriosis UK ahead of an All Party Parliamentary Group inquiry on April 21 into endometriosis in the workplace. It also follows a debate in the UK parliament on April 13 relating to paid menstrual leave for those with endometriosis or adenomyosis.
Endometriosis UK estimates that 1 in 6 of those with endometriosis eventually need to leave the workplace because of their condition.
Other findings include:
- Only a quarter (26%) have sought help from a doctor or healthcare professional after experiencing severe period pain, despite this being a common sign of a menstrual health condition.
- Of those who did not seek medical help, over a third (35%) said it was because they didn’t think they’d be taken seriously and 51% because they thought painful periods were a normal part of life.
- A third (33%) say they had to miss school because of debilitating period pain.
- Of all those surveyed, 83% say they have heard of endometriosis and 77% could correctly name what the condition is.
Endometriosis is a long-term (chronic) condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows elsewhere in the body. It’s common, affecting 1 in 10 women in the UK from puberty to menopause, although the impact may be felt for life. Around 1.5 million in the UK are currently living with endometriosis. Symptoms vary from person to person and can be severe and debilitating. Common symptoms include: pelvic pain, painful periods that interfere with everyday life, heavy menstrual bleeding, painful bowel movements, pain when urinating, pain during or after sex, difficulty getting pregnant and fatigue[5].
The findings follow calls by the charity last month to tackle the alarming increase in diagnosis times in the UK.
Endometriosis UK is concerned that the large number not seeking medical help, despite experiencing severe period pain, could mean that thousands are suffering in silence from a menstrual health condition, rather than receiving support for a diagnosis and accessing treatment.
Emma Cox, CEO of Endometriosis UK, said: “Workplaces must be sensitive to the needs of employees experiencing severe period pain.
“We have to normalise conversations around period and pelvic pain in workplaces, and provide effective menstrual health education in schools, to support future generations.
“We want all UK governments to deliver on bringing down the unacceptable waiting times for endometriosis diagnosis, and all other menstrual health conditions.
“Anyone with a menstrual health condition must feel confident that their concerns will be taken seriously when they speak to a medical professional.
“Whilst the poll reveals some concerning findings, I am pleased to see the majority have heard of endometriosis and can identify it as a menstrual health condition.
“However, we need to see this awareness increase across all areas of society, and for other menstrual health conditions too including adenomyosis.”
Michelle Bates, 50, from Cardiff, said: “For most of my career, I worked for one of the UK’s largest banks. During this time, my absences were closely monitored, and I was frequently threatened with disciplinary action.
“One manager commented that ‘if the bank allowed all female employees to take time off for a bad period, there would be no business to run.’ This remark stayed with me for many years, even after I was formally diagnosed.
“My experience highlighted a lack of understanding and empathy around gynaecological conditions in the workplace. There were no meaningful provisions or flexibility to support employees like me, who are committed to their work but occasionally require understanding and reasonable adjustments.”
Endometriosis UK is calling on all UK governments to commit to reducing the average time to get a diagnosis of endometriosis to one year or less by 2030. This will need targeted action to reduce waiting lists for gynaecology services, appropriate levels of funding and resources, mandatory and effective endometriosis and menstrual health training for healthcare practitioners, menstrual health education in schools and an acknowledging endometriosis as a common chronic condition that must be treated as a long-term condition by the NHS.
