Half (52%) of women and those assigned female at birth in the UK said they’ve felt pressure to go to work despite experiencing severe period pain. A quarter (24%) also said they’ve experienced problems at work because of the time taken off due to the pain.
The data has been released by Endometriosis UK ahead of an All Party Parliamentary Group inquiry on 21 April into endometriosis in the workplace. It also follows a debate in the UK parliament on 13 April relating to paid menstrual leave for those with endometriosis or adenomyosis.
Endometriosis UK estimates that 1 in 6 of those with endometriosis end up needing to leave the workplace because of their condition.
Other findings include:
- Only 29% 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, nearly a quarter (23%) 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.
- Only around six in ten 18-24 year olds (62%) know what endometriosis is and more than a quarter (27%) have never even heard of the condition before.
- Of all those surveyed, eight out of ten (80%) say they have heard of endometriosis and 74% could correctly name what the condition is.
- Most (62%) have missed out on sport or exercise due to period pain.
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 and those assigned female at birth 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.
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.”
Hayley, age 40 from Bedfordshire, lost her job as a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) teacher after taking time off due to endometriosis symptoms, including severe period pain. She said: “The lack of support and understanding from my employer was really disappointing. I’d worked at the school for several years and very much wanted to stay. My role was quite physically demanding because, for the majority of the workday, I was alone with a child who had high needs, for example children aged six or over who were still in nappies, were non-verbal and required a lot of help. My endometriosis and adenomyosis symptoms worsened as I got older, reaching a point where I was in pain every day and needed walking aids to move around. I had to take time off work and my manager made me feel guilty by telling me I was letting my colleagues down. I wanted to continue working and asked for a part time office role but it wasn’t considered. Eventually I was dismissed which was heartbreaking.”
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 acknowledging endometriosis as a common chronic condition that must be treated as a long-term condition by the NHS.
Campaign Collective is a campaign partner to Endometriosis UK.