An estimated 10% of reproductive-age women are living with endometriosis, a condition that causes symptoms such as painful periods and heavy bleeding. However, the normalization of women’s pain and the stigmatization of menstrual issues have led to a lack of scientific innovation and public awareness. In April 2018, SWHR brought together a group of patients, clinicians, researchers and other relevant stakeholders for a roundtable meeting to identify unmet needs and knowledge gaps in endometriosis. Following the meeting, SWHR hosted a public panel discussion to raise awareness about the disease and bring attention to issues related to a woman’s diagnosis, treatment, and access to care.
Roundtable participants authored an expert review, Assessing Research Gap and Unmet Needs in Endometriosis, published in the August 2019 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. This work laid the foundation for SWHR’s Network on Endometriosis and Fibroids.
