What we’re doing about endometriosis
Endometriosis is a chronic menstrual health disorder that affects around 700,000 Australian women. Symptoms include pain in the stomach, back and hip areas that can affect quality of life. Find out what we’re doing to help women living with endometriosis.
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a painful chronic menstrual health disorder that can be hard to diagnose. Endometriosis occurs when some of the tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (womb), called the endometrium, grows outside of the uterus.
Endometriosis is a progressive, chronic condition. It is often painful but there are effective treatments that may relieve the symptoms of endometriosis. Endometriosis can affect women of all ages, including teenagers.
See healthdirect for more information about endometriosis.
What are we doing about endometriosis?
We are addressing endometriosis at a national level via our National Action Plan for Endometriosis.
Activities being implemented from the Action Plan include:
- $9 million for research into non-invasive diagnostic testing, and a better understanding of why endometriosis develops and progresses
- $1.06 million for the Robinson Research Institute to develop a digital health platform for endometriosis research and support
- $160,000 for EndoActive to share its award-winning Shared Perspectives endometriosis videos with health professionals and women affected by endometriosis
- $2.5 million in research funding for Jean Hailes for Women’s Health to establish a Clinical Research Network for endometriosis
- $432,000 to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) to develop clinical guidelines for endometriosis
- $200,000 to Jean Hailes for Women’s Health for a social media awareness campaign
- $140,000 to the Pelvic Pain Foundation Australia to deliver endometriosis, period, and pelvic pain education in secondary schools
- $123,586 to RANZCOG to develop online learning resources for medical practitioners
- $39,360 to the Australian College of Nursing to develop an online training module for nurses
Other programs and initiatives that support endometriosis treatment include the:
- Medicare Benefits Schedule, which helps pay for patient care
- Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which helps pay for medicines
- National Health and Medical Research Council, which funds endometriosis research
See more chronic conditions resources.