News summary produced by Claude AI
Endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the womb, has prompted scrutiny into its impact on women’s employment and healthcare experiences. Multiple women have shared accounts of struggling with the condition while attempting to maintain careers, facing significant delays in receiving accurate diagnoses.
Carla Cressy worked as a model beginning at age five but experienced repeated collapses during shoots starting in her teenage years. Though she began menstruating at 13 and experienced severe pain, she was not diagnosed with endometriosis until age 25. During the intervening years, she underwent an appendectomy based on a misdiagnosis and was hospitalized multiple times for what doctors attributed to gastrointestinal issues. The delayed diagnosis allowed her condition to progress to frozen pelvis disease, necessitating bladder reconstruction surgery and a total hysterectomy. She subsequently left modeling and retrained as a beauty therapist, later founding The Endometriosis Foundation after connecting with other affected women during her recovery.
Abi Smith experienced similar diagnostic delays, receiving a yogurt recommendation for gut health at age 10 while experiencing pelvic pain, only to be formally diagnosed at 21. She is currently undergoing her third medically induced menopause to manage her symptoms and has been rejected three times for disability benefits. Monica Thomas, another affected woman, did not receive a diagnosis for years and now faces lung surgery as the condition has spread to her lungs, while also managing additional conditions including adenomyosis and pelvic congestion syndrome. Thomas established Women’s Health Hope, a charity opening a women’s health hub in Ipswich next month.
Psychotherapist Dr. Sula Windgassen notes that women with endometriosis are frequently told their symptoms are psychological in nature. She highlights that healthcare providers demonstrate medical misogyny and unconscious bias, and that repeated dismissal by medical professionals correlates with worse health outcomes including increased inflammation and altered cortisol patterns. Current estimates suggest one in six women with endometriosis leave the workplace due to the condition. A recent study found 84% of women feel unheard by healthcare professionals. The UK currently lacks legislation ensuring fair treatment for workers with menstrual health conditions requiring time off work, prompting an ongoing inquiry into workplace impacts.