Endometriosis is a common disease where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside it in other parts of the body. More than 830,000 (more than 11%) of Australian women, girls, and those who are gender diverse suffer from endometriosis at some point in their life with the disease often starting in teenagers.

Symptoms are variable and this may contribute to the 6.5 year delay in diagnosis. Common symptoms include pelvic pain that puts life on hold around or during a person’s period. It can impact fertility for some but not for all.

Whilst endometriosis most often affects the reproductive organs it is frequently found in the bowel and bladder and has been found in muscle, joints, the lungs and the brain.

In an Australian government report, endometriosis is reported to cost Australian society $9.7 billion annually with two-thirds of these costs attributed to a loss in productivity with the remainder, approximately $2.5 billion being direct healthcare costs.