If Jesus was a health researcher he would first close the gender health gap

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month and Michelle Tant says: ‘As a midwife I am very interested in female reproductive health but a condition which negatively impacts the lives of millions of women globally should interest us all.’

Endometriosis is a painful condition suffered by women where cells which usually grow in the uterus, grow elsewhere in the body, usually in the pelvis region. It can cause heavy bleeding, inflammation, pain and scar tissue and can affect fertility. It is a complex disease with no current agreement on exactly why it happens in some women and girls.

Even though 10% of reproductive age women are affected, and the personal and economic impact is significant, there is comparatively little research into it. In fact, there is more research into why men experience baldness than why women develop endometriosis.