Draft National Action Plan for Endometriosis to help more than 700,000 Australian women

IT affects one in 10 women and can cause infertility, but many young girls — and doctors — don’t know the signs. Are you aware of endometriosis?

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STATE schools should run programs to teach young girls the early signs of a condition which affects one in 10 women and can cause infertility, the Federal Government says.

Health Minister Greg Hunt will today release the first draft of a National Action Plan for Endometriosis and seek public feedback.

The debilitating gynaecological disease is believed to affect more than 700,000 Australian women, including Olympic swimmer Emily Seebohm and Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins.

“The majority of Australians will know at least one person with endometriosis,” the draft plan states.

It occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows elsewhere and can cause severe pain, nausea, fatigue, organ damage or infertility.

The average wait for diagnosis is seven to 12 years, prompting the Federal Government to devise a blueprint to improve awareness, detection and treatment.

The draft plan lists three priorities: awareness and education, medical care and research. It stresses that “education, particularly in younger age groups, is fundamental” to preventing long-term pain which becomes much more difficult and expensive to treat as women age.

The plan calls for “leadership” from state and territory governments and schools to run education programs.

Last year, 10 SA schools took part in a trial based on a New Zealand model, reaching more than 520 girls.

Chloe Toole, Akoi Atem and Nancy Diella from St Columba College took part in a trial program teaching young girls about endometriosis. Picture: Matt Turner

An evaluation found 96 per cent of them felt it was normal to feel distressed by their period and 48 per cent thought it was normal to miss school, sport or social activities.

SA Health and Wellbeing Minister Stephen Wade has met with Mr Hunt and committed to “work together ... to raise awareness of endometriosis to achieve better outcomes for girls and women with the debilitating condition”.

He said the NZ program was “one of several initiatives being considered” but he did not commit to funding an expansion in SA schools.

Endometriosis Australia ambassador Mel Greig. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Patients and doctors have also briefed the Education Department.

Nicolle Flint, the federal MP for Boothby in Adelaide’s southern suburbs, is among MPs raising awareness of the “devastating” condition.

She said the action plan would “improve the quality of life for all the women who have approached me ... and for all those who continue to go undiagnosed”.

It comes after commitments of $2.5 million for research and $1 million to raise awareness among GPs.