In the wake of Endometriosis awareness month, the latest data by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has revealed more women are being hospitalised for the condition than ever before.
Past reports has shown that between 2021 and 2022, there were 40,500 endometriosis-related hospitalisations, representing 312 hospitalisations per 100,000 females.
In contrast, in an upward trend, there were 44,200 endometriosis-related hospitalisations recorded between 2022-2023, representing 335 hospitalisations per 100,000 females.
Endometriosis has seen Charli Evers visit the emergency department, as well as her symptoms forcing her to numerous medical appointments.
“I went to the emergency department one time after not being able to drive due to pain. This was during the time between my GP appointment and my first ultrasound,” Miss Evers said.
“When I first got to the emergency department, due to the location of the pain they assumed I had an issue with my appendix.
“I was in the emergency department for a total of 8 hours where they only did blood work and gave me pain medication. They found nothing and advised me to go home and follow up with the ultrasound that had already been booked.”
There were more than 3,600 endometriosis-related emergency department presentations between 2021 and 2022 and 72 per cent of those presentations were triaged as needing to be seen within 30 minutes or less.
Between 2023 and 2024, there were more than 4,800 endometriosis-related emergency department presentations and 76 per cent of those presentations were triaged as needing to be seen within 30 minutes or less.
Most endometriosis-related emergency department presentations were among females aged 15-44, with the highest rates seen in those aged 25-29.
Endometriosis Australia Medical Director Anusch Yazdani said in a media release that the rise in younger women being hospitalised reflected the greater willingness to seek help and not a change in the disease itself.
“The clear trend to younger women presenting and being diagnosed with endometriosis is not a change in pattern of disease rather a reflection of the fact that younger women are empowered to seek help and not accept the pain of endometriosis,” Mr Yazdani said.
For health experts, the rise in hospitalisations signals that more women are finally seeking the help they need.
Additional reporting by: Monique Mathieson
