A new mother is speaking out about her years-long struggle with debilitating pelvic pain, finally diagnosed as endometriosis after a lengthy search for answers, hoping to raise awareness adn improve healthcare for women.
After undergoing IVF treatment, Ms. Steer and her husband, Jono, welcomed their baby son last year.However, her journey to motherhood was substantially elaborate by chronic pain that went misdiagnosed for years.Her experience highlights a critical gap in women’s healthcare, where symptoms are often dismissed or masked with temporary solutions instead of thorough inquiry.
“In this day and age it’s still shocking to me that we have to go through this,” Ms. Steer said, expressing her frustration with the delayed diagnosis.
She believes increased education is vital, advocating for open conversations about menstrual health to begin in schools. “We need to have those talks with the younger generation, so that they understand that it’s not normal to have periods that are so painful you can’t continue with your daily life.”
ms. Steer’s experience reflects a common concern among women who feel their pain isn’t taken seriously by medical professionals. She believes many are routinely prescribed the pill to manage symptoms rather than receiving a proper diagnosis and targeted treatment.
She is now urging women to advocate for themselves and persist in seeking answers. “the doctors need to listen more and not just say ‘right off you go, on the pill, that will be fine’,” she stated.
Ms. Steer emphasizes the need for a wider range of treatment options beyond the pill or surgery. “We need to have more treatments available,not just going on the pill or having surgery. That’s not good enough.”
