Endometriosis tests 'would have given me years of my life back'
The NHS in England and Wales is introducing rapid, non-invasive tests for endometriosis to help women receive faster diagnoses. Patients and advocates suggest this change could significantly reduce the years of suffering and misdiagnosis often associated with the condition.
Why it matters
It addresses a long-standing gender health gap where women's pain is frequently dismissed, potentially improving quality of life for millions.
Image source, Zoe Armstrong Image caption, Zoe Armstrong, from Bristol, only found out she had endometriosis after emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy
"I was told that my symptoms were just part of being a woman."
These are words that are likely to be familiar to scores of women who have suffered years of seeking a reason for their extreme pain and heavy periods, before finally being told they have endometriosis.
For years, the only way to definitively diagnose the condition - where cells similar to those in the lining of the womb grow in other parts of the body , external - was through a surgical procedure.
But this week it was announced that rapid, non-invasive, endometriosis tests would be made available on the NHS in England and Wales .
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