Girls are just as likely as women to suffer from endometriosis, a debilitating womb condition, but have to wait for years in agony before they are diagnosed, a landmark study has found.
About one in 10 women have the condition, in which tissue similar to the womb lining grows in other places, such as the ovaries. For decades it was thought to be rarer in girls, with many who went to their doctor dismissed as having period pain or making up symptoms.
Dr Rima Dhillon-Smith of Birmingham University, who was co-lead author of the report, said: “This opens the door for a change in how GPs manage this disease; they can make more informed decisions earlier.”
Endometriosis can cause prolonged bouts of pain, but on