The Women and Equalities Committee, which is a cross-party group of MPs, has today (4 March 2026) released a report urging the Government to commit to a range of measures to support girls and young women with menstrual health conditions including endometriosis.
The report comes at a pivotal time as Endometriosis UK has just released new research that shows it now takes on average a shocking 9 years and 4 months to receive a diagnosis of endometriosis in the UK.
All too often, young people are dismissed and told their pain is normal or that they’re simply “making a fuss over nothing”. Failing to recognise symptoms in young people can have a devastating lifelong impact, and we welcome the Committee’s recommendations to improve the lives of young people affected by menstrual health conditions.
Endometriosis UK was delighted to be called on by the Committee to provide oral evidence to the Inquiry in November 2025, and to now see many of the recommendations we put forward incorporated in the report. These recommendations include the need to reduce diagnosis times, improve access to care, and ensure that menstrual health education is effectively delivered in schools through addressing gaps in teacher training and resources.
There is now a real opportunity to make changes and improve the lives of young people through this Inquiry, and we look forward to continuing our work with the Committee, MPs, and the Government, to ensure these recommendations become a reality.
The Committee has made a total of 43 recommendations to Government, as well as a written report that includes several recommendations and insights into how the Government must improve endometriosis and menstrual health care.
You can read the report in full here: Reproductive health conditions: girls and young women. We will also be doing further analysis of the report in the coming weeks. Keep an eye on our website for further comment and analysis.
Recommendations include:
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Calling on the Department for Education to develop resources and guidance for teachers and other school staff to embed menstrual health awareness and support at a whole school level.
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Investigate the extent to which school toilets being restricted is happening and request that school leaders take alternative approaches to tackling issues regarding discipline.
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The renewed Women’s Health Strategy should include an aim to improve the provision of school nurses, particularly in more deprived areas, where need is often greatest.
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The renewal of the Women’s Health Strategy must include an objective accompanied by clear actions to improve the level of awareness among all primary care practitioners of menstrual health conditions, including that symptoms can begin at puberty. This will require targeted funding and ring-fenced time for GP training.
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The Government must work with the Royal College of Nursing to ensure that menstrual health is included in the standard training offer for all nurses.
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Steps to address racial discrimination must be included in the renewed Women’s Health Strategy. Compulsory training on avoiding racial biases in women’s health must be core components of training programmes for nurses and doctors.
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Reduce diagnosis times for reproductive health conditions such as endometriosis.
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Ensure a dedicated focus on adolescent menstrual healthcare, with clear care pathways.
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We urge the NHS to record the pain history of women undergoing procedures so that their needs can be prepared for.
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A substantial increase in research into menstrual health conditions is long overdue and would represent a huge stride forwards in recognising the impacts these conditions have on the lives of women and girls
