Women are enduring painful gynaecological conditions due to ‘medical misogyny’ in the NHS, a damning report finds.

Doctors often have a poor understanding of women’s health, meaning they fail to recognise symptoms and are dismissive of patients’ pain, it says.

This is fuelled by a ‘pervasive stigma’ around reproductive health issues and a lack of education about common conditions such endometriosis, heavy periods and adenomyosis.

As a result, victims suffer agonising discomfort that ‘interferes with every aspect of their daily lives’, including their education, careers, relationships and fertility, said MPs on the Commons women and equalities committee, which published the report today.

 Many are forced to ‘suck it up’ or find the money for expensive private care, it adds.

The report shows a lack of research, treatments and specialists, along with the ‘de-prioritisation’ of gynaecological services, has resulted in these waiting lists growing faster than any other specialty.

Meanwhile, women’s symptoms are often ‘normalised’, meaning it can take years to get a diagnosis and care.

It is estimated neglecting women’s health in the workplace costs the UK economy £20billion a year, with some forced to give up their jobs.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says Britain is in the midst of a ‘gynaecology care crisis’, with more than 750,000 women on the waitlist.

The MPs highlighted how women undergo ‘harrowing experiences’ of procedures such as having a contraceptive coil fitted or a hysteroscopy – a test to look inside a woman’s womb.

Presenter Naga Munchetty, who previously shared her traumatic experience of having a coil fitted and was vocal about the poor care she received for adenomyosis (when the lining of the uterus grows into the uterine muscle wall) gave evidence to the committee alongside reality TV star Vicky Pattison, who has premenstrual dysphoric disorder, which causes severe mood swings.

GP surgeries were singled out in the report, which highlights a ‘clear lack of awareness and understanding of women’s reproductive health conditions among primary healthcare practitioners’.

The MPs made recommendations to improve care, including ensuring doctors are aware of the latest diagnostic tests and treatments. 

Committee chairman Sarah Owen said: ‘Our inquiry has shown misogyny in medicine is leaving women in pain and their conditions undiagnosed. Women are finding their symptoms dismissed, are waiting years for life-changing treatment...

‘All the while, their conditions worsen and become more complicated to treat.’

Emma Cox, chief executive of Endometriosis UK, said: ‘It takes almost nine years on average to get a diagnosis of endometriosis in the UK – it shouldn’t. Without diagnosis there isn’t access to management and treatment.’

NHS England said: ‘Too often in the NHS we hear of women whose health concerns have been dismissed, which is why we are taking action to improve services for women, including rolling out women’s health hubs.

‘The hubs are giving thousands more women access to specialist support in the community, which not only improves access and women’s experiences of care, but also helps to upskill healthcare professionals.’

A Department of Health spokesman said: ‘It is totally unacceptable that women with reproductive conditions are not getting the care they need. 

'That is why we will overhaul women’s healthcare, placing women’s equality at the heart of our agenda.’