Doctor calls for better endometriosis care after surgery abroad
An Irish doctor is advocating for improved endometriosis care after being forced to travel abroad for life-saving surgery due to a lack of specialized treatment in Ireland. Her story highlights the systemic issues of misdiagnosis and inadequate care for women suffering from the condition.
Why it matters
The case brings attention to the urgent need for better healthcare infrastructure and awareness regarding chronic conditions that disproportionately affect women.
An Irish doctor who says she was told her endometriosis was "too severe" to treat in Ireland, and had to travel abroad for lifesaving surgery, is calling on the Government to improve care for women with the disease.
In March 2025, Dr Rachel O'Connor, 31, from Co Roscommon, underwent over 10 hours of specialist endometriosis surgery in Warsaw. She says the operation involved extensive surgery to her bowel and other organs. Her surgeon later told her she should not have survived.
Endometriosis is a chronic condition in which tissue like the inner lining of the womb grows elsewhere in the body, causing inflammation and scar tissue. It can also affect fertility. The HSE estimates the condition affects up to one in seven women and girls in Ireland.
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