Latest report reveals prevalence of endometriosis sufferers has risen with women getting diagnosed earlier

Endometriosis is more common than previously thought, with the life-shattering disease affecting one in seven Australian women in their late 40s, according to the latest data. The endometriosis report, released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, has revealed the prevalence of the historically under-recognised condition has risen. Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in other parts of the body where it does not belong. The disorder can cause a range of issues including chronic pelvic pain, bowel dysfunction, fatigue, heavy periods, and fertility issues. Researchers at the University of Queensland used health service data to estimate the prevalence of endometriosis in two groups of women, those born between 1973 and 1978 and those born between 1989 and 1995. The report revealed women are now being diagnosed earlier than previous years. By age 31, over nine per cent of women born between 1989 and 1995 were diagnosed with endometriosis compared with only seven per cent of those born between 1973 and 1978 at the same age. Specialist gynaecologist and advanced laparoscopic surgeon Sean Copson said this was a promising sign that there was an improvement in the recognition of the painful condition. “This shows how common it is, which matches what we are seeing in gynaecology clinics with the amount of patients coming in with pelvic pain and painful periods,” he said. “It’s definitely a step in the right direction and a lot of the awareness campaigns will be responsible for earlier diagnosis, which is fantastic. “Previously women might’ve been told that it was normal to deal with this pain but hopefully awareness means earlier diagnosis.” However, women are still waiting between six to eight years for a diagnosis. For Tambellup resident Rachael Lamont, she dealt with pain for a decade before she was diagnosed. “My problems first started when I was 11. I went through numerous doctors and had multiple emergency visits and they couldn’t find anything,” she said. “When I was 21 I had to go to a gynaecologist for a different issue and a couple of months later I had surgery and I was diagnosed with endometriosis.” There is still no cure for the disease with current resolutions only including pain relief and surgery to remove lesions. An invasive surgical procedure is also the only way to definitively diagnose the chronic condition. The rate of hospitalisations, including emergency visits and surgery admissions, has doubled among women aged 20 to 24 over the past decade — among one of the leading causes of hospital admissions in this age group. There were 40,500 endometriosis-related hospitalisations in 2021–22 across Australia and endometriosis was the 20th most common reason for hospitalisation among those aged 15–44. Ms Lamont said she thought it was still a lot more common than anyone realised. “I know a lot of people that have endometriosis symptoms and unless you have surgery you don’t know why,” she said. “Some doctors still need to be educated more. If I had found a doctor who took my symptoms seriously I could’ve got my diagnosis earlier. “More people are being diagnosed as it’s in the media more but there’s still a long way to go.”