The battle for better period care is one that many women know all too well. For Bassetlaw MP Jo White, this fight has been a 30-year-long struggle with severe menstrual pain and excessive bleeding. In an interview with Politics East Midlands, she shared her personal story of delays and misdiagnoses, highlighting the need for the NHS to prioritise diagnosis and treatment waiting times for conditions like endometriosis.
Endometriosis is a chronic condition affecting approximately one in ten women in the UK. It occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other parts of the body, causing symptoms that can be debilitating, including heavy periods, fatigue, and abdominal pain. The average time to receive a diagnosis for endometriosis currently stands at nine years – a figure that Ms White believes is unacceptable.
Ms White's own experiences with undiagnosed issues were marked by episodes of severe bleeding in public, which she had to endure in silence due to societal pressure. "You have crises during those times where you can't tell people because of the social mores against it," she explained. "You have to just get on with it and it's a very private thing you're suffering." Her treatment only came after a doctor witnessed the severity of her condition at home, leading to a specialist referral.
The revised guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) now recommend that women presenting with period-related complaints should be referred for scanning quickly. However, research from Oxford University suggests that standard scans may not always detect endometriosis, often only identifying changes in more advanced cases.
In addition to improving healthcare services, the government's Women's Health Strategy includes a pledge of £1 million for investment in schools and community settings to educate young people about healthy periods. Ms White stressed the importance of early intervention, not just for quality of life but also for fertility outcomes: "The quicker you're treated, the more likely you are to have children in the future if you want to." By prioritising better period care, the NHS can make a significant difference in the lives of many women.