According to the government's ambassador for women's health, the NHS in England is "failing women.".
Speaking to Naga Munchetty of BBC Radio 5 Live, Prof. Dame Lesley Regan was selected to support the Women's Health Strategy implementation.
After waiting years in excruciating pain, Munchetty, 48, revealed last month that she had been given the diagnosis of adenomyosis, a condition of the womb.
Dame Lesley stated that she wanted women to be able to refer themselves to experts.
According to her, women and girls shouldn't need to ask for "permission [to] go and have your crippling menstrual pain sorted out.".
When the endometrium—the lining of the womb—grows inside the womb's muscular wall, adenomyosis may result.
- painful and heaviest periods.
- Bloating in the stomach.
- discomfort during sexual activity.
However, some women require a hysterectomy, or removal of the womb, to experience complete pain relief. Contraceptives can help.
Obstetrics and gynecology professor Dame Lesley advised Munchetty to "get out of the frame of mind of women going to healthcare professionals who then do something to them.".
It was "unacceptable" that the NHS website lacked a page specifically for adenomyosis, but this would be changed.
As do several NHS hospital trusts, NHS Scotland does have its own dedicated page.
The year of the menopause was 2022, according to Dame Lesley. The year of menstrual-health awareness should be 2023.
Make it equally common to discuss period issues and to be aware of resources.
"Most girls and women will have 12 periods a year for the first 40 years of their lives, which is a lot of suffering that doesn't necessarily need to exist. I really think this has to be a common talking point, something that everyone understands. " .
"The NHS takes women's health very seriously, and in accordance with [National Institute for Health and Care Excellence] guidance, we provide a wide range of treatments and support for many conditions, including adenomyosis," an NHS representative said. And we'll be working with the Department of Health and Social Care to see how the Women's Health Strategy can be improved.
"In order to make a prompt diagnosis and administer the proper treatments, GPs should stay current on the most recent NICE guidance on this condition. ".
The government is "working hard" with Dame Lesley to improve the lives of women through the Women's Health Strategy, according to a Department of Health and Social Care official.
The official said, "This is delivering results. We've decreased the price of hormone replacement therapy, invested £25 million to hasten the development of women's health hubs, and are supporting women's reproductive health in the workplace.
"As part of our strategy, we promise to add more pages about conditions like adenomyosis and a women's health section to the NHS website.
Additionally, in gynecology and urogynecology, we're cutting back on wait times and enhancing patient satisfaction. " .
"Right now, as I sit here talking to you, I am in pain - constant, nagging pain, in my uterus, around my pelvis, and sometimes it runs down my thighs. I'll have some level of pain for the entire show and for the rest of the day, until I go to sleep," Munchetty said in May.
It is estimated that adenomyosis affects one in ten women.
Munchetty has not yet decided whether to have a hysterectomy, but Jen Moore, 34, from Cambridge, who recently underwent one, told her it had been "an emotional rollercoaster" to become infertile, but that it had been "the right decision.".
Help and support are available at if you have been impacted by the issues mentioned in this story. The BBC Action Line.
