Endometriosis Leads to Significant Financial Hardship for Women, MPs' Report Finds
A new report highlights that nearly half of women with endometriosis have lost income, with many forced to leave their jobs due to the condition.
Women suffering from endometriosis are experiencing substantial financial difficulties, including lost income and job loss, according to a recent report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Endometriosis. The inquiry found that 47% of women with the condition have seen their income decrease, and 28% have left their employment altogether.
One woman, Chloe Ward from Bolton, shared that her endometriosis, which can cause severe pain, fatigue, heavy bleeding, and fertility issues, has cost her thousands of pounds and impacted her ability to manage her own business. "A lot of people think it's just a bad period, but it's so much worse," she stated. Ward's diagnosis took seven years, and as a self-employed beauty therapist, she lacked a financial safety net, as her income depends on her ability to work.
"If I'm not there to do the treatments, nobody pays me," Ward explained, noting that she has lost clients due to flare-ups forcing her to cancel appointments at short notice. She is currently awaiting a hysterectomy, which will necessitate another period away from work.
The financial toll extends beyond lost earnings. After receiving a stage-four endometriosis diagnosis in 2023, Ward paid approximately £6,000 for private surgery due to long NHS waiting lists. She and her partner also spent around £8,000 on a third round of IVF after two NHS-funded attempts were unsuccessful.
The report further revealed that 39% of women with endometriosis have faced financial hardship, and 40% have declined career opportunities due to a lack of support in the workplace. Megan Gomersall, a 30-year-old former pediatric nurse from Rochdale, has been unable to work for about two and a half years due to her symptoms. Her endometriosis, which affects her bladder and bowel, caused severe pain during shifts and frequent sick leave before her diagnosis, which took 13 years.
"It has been really, really difficult," Gomersall said. "It's been like a grieving process in a way. I feel like I've completely lost my identity and purpose." She believes that more could be done to help women remain employed through reasonable workplace adjustments and increased awareness.
The inquiry indicated that fewer than half of employees with endometriosis have received workplace adjustments, and 94% feel their employers lack a sufficient understanding of the condition. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care acknowledged that endometriosis can have a "devastating impact" on women's lives and confirmed it is a priority condition in the government's renewed Women's Health Strategy. The findings underscore the necessity for improved support in both healthcare and employment settings.