Told to ‘get on with it’: study reveals women with endometriosis experience lower earnings and irregular employment 

An endometriosis sufferer with a huge following on social media says she was told by doctors to ‘get on with it’ after she complained about chronic pain from the condition.

Imogen Rose, a Manchester-based online fitness coach with endometriosis who has amassed over 150,000 followers on social media, and works with women struggling with the disease. 

I’ve always struggled with debilitating periods ever since I started my first period at 14,” she said.

“Back then I wasn’t taken seriously by doctors. I was pushed onto contraceptive pills before investigating whether I had endometriosis. Endometriosis runs in my family, impacting my cousin, auntie and great auntie.” 

Imogen explained how her pain escalated over time: “By the age of 19, it was becoming one-to-two weeks of every month where I was in severe pain. I was constantly made to feel like the pain was ‘just a period’ and told to get on with it.” 

Imogen’s diagnosis journey took a decade after starting her period, and her experience with the health care system was frustrating: “Eventually it got so bad I had to go to A&E one working day. I was kept in for seven days. They tried to send me home multiple times, citing that the pain I was feeling was normal.

“Eventually by day six, they took me in for a surgery where they removed my appendix, and I had a gynaecologist pop in and say I did not have endometriosis.”

Accessing skilled gynaecologists in the UK is difficult. “The waiting lists for surgery are often over two years long, and when you’re living with chronic pain, two years to get treatment is abhorrent,” she said.

“Some women have so much damage from this condition it revokes their ability to have children, and the more this condition is left to grow untreated, the more damage it can cause to organs.” 

Career and financial impact

Before becoming self-employed, Imogen had over 15 jobs and says only one of them was supportive. She believes companies aren’t well-educated about endometriosis and its impact on women: “I’ve lost jobs in the past because I couldn’t keep up with what was being asked of me as a sick person.” 

Imogen says she has had to rely on her partner a lot financially due to her condition, which makes her feel inadequate sometimes. Over the past 12 years she’s had five surgical interventions, which meant substantial time off work. 

“I would advise them to have meetings with their management and try to educate them on the condition,” she said.

“Smaller, independent companies may be more open to discussing policy changes to support those living with endometriosis.”

Endometriosis action month

As Endometriosis Action Month approaches, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released an influential study showing how endometriosis impacts women’s employment and earnings in England. 

Endometriosis is a chronic condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. It can cause severe pain during periods, chronic pelvic pain, fatigue, fertility issues and the formation of scar tissue over time. 

The debilitating gynaecological condition affects 1.5 million – approximately 1 in 10 women in the UK – equivalent to 17,000 women in Greater Manchester.

Despite being so common, public awareness remains low. About 54% of people don’t know what endometriosis is, with this figure rising to 74% among men. 62% of women aged 16–24 are unaware of the condition, and 45% cannot name any of its symptoms. 

The data 

The ONS study examined employment and pay data for women aged 25–54 who received endometriosis diagnoses at NHS hospitals. The analysis covered the two years before and five years after diagnosis. 

Drawing from the 2011 census, NHS records, and HMRC payroll data, it shows how endometriosis affects women’s careers: women with endometriosis typically experience lower monthly earnings and are less likely to maintain paid employment after diagnosis. 

Among those who stay employed, monthly earnings decline steadily after diagnosis. Four-to-five years after diagnosis, workers experience an average drop of £56 per month compared to their pre-diagnosis income. 

This suggests that after diagnosis, women often shift to lower-paying positions or reduce their working hours. 

Challenges in diagnosis 

Dr Kenneth Ma, a consultant gynaecologist specialising in severe endometriosis at St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester, highlights how difficult it is to be diagnosed. 

He explained: “Knowledge of endometriosis is still lacking in both the formal education system and in generational acceptance or misinformation within families. This often leads to incorrect beliefs that the symptoms women have with menstruation are normal, and therefore, they present late to their GPs or not at all.” 

He acknowledged that once diagnosed, many women face difficulties balancing work with their health needs: “This, unfortunately, leads to an increase in suffering and this impacts on all aspects of wellbeing, including physical and psychological health, impact on relationships, ability to conceive and ability to work.” 

The women he supports are affected in the workplace and can usually only work part-time, or may lose employment altogether because of prolonged sickness. He feels it’s “difficult as a doctor to see their lost opportunities in personal development or promotions, the ability to change jobs etc”. 

He said the ONS study “shines a spotlight on the higher-level view on the impact of endometriosis as a whole. 

“There are too many women suffering in silence, too many not supported to be diagnosed and treated, and certainly not enough resources dedicated to addressing this serious, chronic disease.” 

Endometriosis-friendly employers 

Instead of women taking on the burden of confronting their managers, some employers are taking steps to support employees with endometriosis. 

Endometriosis UK has developed a Endometriosis Friendly Employer Scheme. One employer in Greater Manchester who has pledged commitment to the guidance is the Manchester Cat Clinic. 

They are one of nearly 20 employers who are based in or have a branch in Greater Manchester who are part of the scheme. 

Dr Ellie Lee, director of Cat Clinic, says that as a veterinary practice with a predominantly female staff, they’re particularly attuned to women’s health issues in the workplace. With multiple team members affected by the condition, they’ve made it a priority to ensure proper support. 

The clinic even brought in a local private women’s health doctor to speak to the team about women’s health issues, to help open the dialogue around women’s health issues and ensure everyone was on board with supporting each other as a team. 

To support those with endometriosis, Dr Lee added: “Just being flexible – if someone is having a bad day, look for solutions that give them less time on their feet, for example swapping job roles around on the day to give them more office time, and giving them opportunities to take breaks and rest where needed. It makes people more comfortable, and also helps to reduce sick days if they’re able to stay at work.”