These are the signs and symptoms of endometriosis you need to know about

Urgent improvement in care for endometriosis sufferers across the UK is needed and diagnosis times need to be cut in half, a new report by MPs has said.

An inquiry by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the condition has found that a diagnosis takes eight years on average - and this figure has not improved in more than a decade.

One in 10 women affected

Endometriosis affects one in 10 women in the UK between puberty and the menopause, and causes debilitating pain, heavy periods and infertility.

More than 10,000 people were surveyed as part of the APPG inquiry, along with healthcare professionals, with findings showing that 58 per cent visited their GP more than 10 times before being diagnosed.

Additionally, 43 per cent visited doctors in hospitals more than five times and 53 per cent went to A&E with symptoms before diagnosis.

A total of 90 per cent of people said they would have liked access to psychological support, but were never offered it, with 81 per cent saying the condition had impacted their mental health negatively, or very negatively.

The report also found that 35 per cent said that they had a reduced income due to endometriosis.

A call for support

In an effort to support the 1.5 million women with the chronic condition in the UK, the APPG has called on governments in the UK’s four nationas to commit to a series of support measures for sufferers.

Such support includes a commitment to reduce average diagnosis times with a target of four years or less by 2025.

By 2030, diagnosis times should have reduced further to a year or less.

The APPG has also called for governments to pledge to invest in more research on the condition to find what causes it, as well better treatment, management and diagnosis options. It also hoped that a cure for endometriosis will eventually be found.

The inquiry has also called on all four nations to include compulsory menstrual wellbeing in the school curriculum to help young people recognise the warning signs of menstrual health conditions, and when they should seek medical help.

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a long term condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes.

It affects one in 10 women in the UK and can affect women of any age, but it is most common in those in their 30s and 40s, according to the NHS.