A four women in England has a serious problem with reproductive health, surveys | Health of women

More than a quarter of women in England According to the biggest survey of this kind, a serious problem with reproductive health and experts say that “systemic, operative, structural and cultural problems” prevent women from achieving care.

The survey of 60,000 women in England in 2023, financed by the Department of Health and social care and analyzed by academics at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, showed 28% of respondents with reproductive morbidity such as pelvic organ prolapse, uterus fibroids, endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome or cervical, ovarian or breast cancer.

Almost a fifth (19%) of women stated that they had severe pain last year, and 40% of the respondents stated that severe menstrual bleeding. More than 30% of the participants aged 16 to 24 reported serious pain over the period.

In the survey, strong ethnic inequalities were unveiled. More than a third (38.1%) of black women reported on a state of reproduction compared to 27.7% of white women, which has black women after adapting 69% more often than their counterparts. This was caused by a big difference in the percentage of women who reported uterine fibroids: 19.8% of the black women stated that they had the disease, compared to only 5% of their white colleagues.

A woman told the guardian about the weakening pain caused by a severe case of uterine myoma. “The pain was terrible,” said Rebecca Brown, a 46-year-old graphic designer from Südlondon. “I couldn’t walk, I had to use heat pads all the time and my whole life changed in a second.”

Brown, who said she first felt released by NHS advisors, was finally operated on, in which 25 large fibroids each measure up to 12 cm. After the diagnosis of Brown from a mixed heir background, found that black and mixed women had a higher risk of developing fibroids.

“At first I was never told what fibroids were and received no advice on pain management or whether I needed a scan,” said Brown. “I now know that myoma can be more aggressive with black women.”

Overall, 74% of women stated that menstruation, menstruation, pregnancy and diseases such as endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome in any form of a reproductive health problem. The researchers applied the results to the 16- to 55-year-old women who lived in England, and appreciated more than 10 million women with whom at least one of the examined problems in connection with reproductive health.

The reproductive or menstrual health problems taken into account by the survey include severe or difficult to painful periods, menopause, infertility, loss of pregnancy or reproductive morbidities such as endometriosis or polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Dr. Melissa Palmer from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said the main author of research: “For the first time, we were able to estimate the percentage of women and people who were assigned at birth, who deal with reproductive health problems or have recently had experience.

“It is a strong statement that almost three quarters of the recent experiences surveyed reported at least one of the questions of reproductive health examined. We know that there are important ethnic inequalities in the health of mothers in Great Britain. Our results indicate that they extend to other aspects of reproductive health.”

Paulette Hamilton, the MP from Birmingham Erdington and Chairman of the Allparty Parlamental Group for Black Health, said: “The results of this pioneering survey confirm what black women have known for decades: Our reproductive health is in the crisis. But our pain is too often released, talk and treated inadequate.

“The fact that black women 69% more often suffer from serious reproductive conditions than white women is not just inequality, but systemic neglect.”

She added: “It is absolutely necessary that we invest these differences through investments in targeted research, prioritization of culturally competent care and the reduction of structural racism, which brings black women with the main burden of reproductive injustice.”

Dr. Ranee Thakar, President of the Royal College of obstetrician and gynecologist, said the results had a “sad but not surprising picture” of reality for women with reproductive health problems in England.

She added: “Serious states such as fibroids and endometriosis can have a devastating influence on almost every aspect of a person’s life, including the effects on their physical and mental health and their ability to work and make contacts. Too often, systemic, operational, structural and cultural problems mean women who earn them, and our current system risks that we prevent in these lust can.

“The RCOG undertakes to work with the leaders of the government and the NHS leaders to ensure that the 10-year health plan brings the health of women to mind.”

Prof. Faye Ruddock, chairman of the Caribbean and African health networksaid that almost all other black women with whom she had spoken “experienced experience with reproductive health problems such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, severe bleeding and painful periods.

“I saw first -hand how these complex problems cannot be displayed on individual causes, but from a combination of factors such as genetics, environmental stress and systemic inequalities in healthcare.

“In order to address these differences, we have to ensure fair access to health services that are assigned by culturally sensitive care that is tailored to the needs of black women. We also have to present awareness of these conditions and how they present differently in black women.”

A spokesman for the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs said: “We acknowledge that there are severe inequalities in health in Great Britain today, and we will tackle them head-on as part of our change plan. This begins to listen to all women to ensure that they receive high-quality care that they deserve, regardless of their ethnicity.

“Our success in cutting waiting lists will benefit all patients, including women who suffer from gynecology problems.”