Investigation finds doctors urging pregnancy for endometriosis patients despite lack of cure

A joint investigation by Metro and Endometriosis UK has found that many doctors advise women with endometriosis to consider pregnancy as a treatment, despite there being no clinical evidence that pregnancy permanently relieves the lifelong condition. Endometriosis affects about 1.5 million women in the UK, with symptoms that often include severe pelvic pain, heavy periods and fatigue, and it can complicate fertility. The report highlights accounts from patients who say fertility questions and pregnancy pressure followed them from their first symptoms, long after the initial diagnoses.

Among the stories is Tiffany Summerfield, who was 19 when she first sought help for crippling pain. She says a GP told her to "get a boyfriend and get pregnant" to help with the condition, and that she was told, "from day one" to think about her fertility. The pressure, she says, has lingered into her 30s and affected relationships and life choices. Endometriosis is a chronic, incurable condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, and monthly cycles can trigger pain and bleeding that have no easy outlet. The condition affects about 1.5 million women across the UK, and many live with the prospect of motherhood while managing lifelong symptoms. The investigation also notes that in practice, doctors frequently ask, and sometimes fixate on, whether a patient already has children.

A 2024 report by Metro and Endometriosis UK finds that more than three quarters of women with endometriosis have been told to get pregnant by doctors — despite there being little to no clinical evidence that pregnancy provides a long-term cure or consistent relief from the condition. The report emphasizes that pregnancy can pause menstruation for some, but many patients experience continued pain and symptoms may return after birth. It also notes that the pressure to conceive is not universal and that patient wishes and fertility goals vary widely.

Joanne Hanley, Endometriosis UK Specialist Advisor, described the practice as "inaccurate and misleading." She said, "Endometriosis is a long-term condition for which there is no cure. During pregnancy, periods generally stop alleviating the symptoms of endometriosis for some. However, others will continue to experience pain during pregnancy. Often symptoms return after giving birth when the menstrual cycle returns. So, to recommend pregnancy as an effective treatment for endometriosis is both inaccurate and misleading." She added that better education and awareness among healthcare practitioners—including GPs, pharmacists, nurses and A&E staff—are essential to ensure people receive appropriate care at the right time.

Tiffany Summerfield, who volunteers with Endometriosis UK, said the repetitive fertility questions have affected every relationship she entered in her 20s. "From a really young age, it was drilled into me to think of your fertility and I definitely felt a sense of pressure in my early 20s to think of that, because I thought by the time that I was 25, that my time would have run out," she recalled. "It’s constantly at the forefront of your mind." She has had five surgeries since the age of 19 to remove cysts and lesions and to address damage to her reproductive organs. A chemically induced menopause at 21 caused hot flashes, hair loss and weight gain, and she has faced ongoing decisions about future fertility, including the possibility that she may never conceive naturally. She says the denial or dismissal of her symptoms by clinicians has been a recurring challenge, and she worries about future patients who may be given similar scripts.

Lynsey Turner, a 49-year-old wellbeing coach from Southampton, was diagnosed with endometriosis at 26 after years of painful and heavy periods and the belief that pregnancy would relieve her symptoms. She and her husband had two sons, but Turner says the condition did not improve. She underwent a laparoscopy to remove cysts and later an ablation to reduce the lining of her uterus. Turner describes how heavy bleeding has disrupted daily life, including instances of needing to change clothing and clothing while out shopping, and she emphasizes that pregnancy is not a cure. She says there is a broader issue of misogyny in women’s healthcare and argues for more research and better access to treatment and support.

Ashita Landge, 30, was diagnosed with endometriosis last year. She recalls intense pain in her adolescence and the pressure to consider fertility because of a perceived "biological clock." Doctors initially encouraged egg freezing and later warned against delaying pregnancy after marriage, even as she sought to improve her quality of life. Landge has consulted multiple clinicians across countries and in the UK, and she notes that many conversations centered on fertility rather than symptom relief. She described a sense of anxiety surrounding health decisions and questioned why clinicians did not focus more on improving daily life and managing pain. Six months ago, she underwent laparoscopic surgery in her home country that provided significant relief and left her feeling hopeful about a better quality of life.

Endometriosis UK says the investigation highlights a need for comprehensive, patient-centered care and better training for healthcare professionals. It is calling on the government to mandate training for all health practitioners on menstrual health conditions so clinicians can recognize signs early and guide patients toward appropriate treatment and support. The organization argues that policies recognizing endometriosis as a lifelong, whole-body condition are essential to reducing stigma and ensuring consistent, evidence-based care across the health system. The stories in the report underscore the real-world impact of inconsistent messaging about fertility, and the call for a health system that prioritizes symptom relief, access to timely diagnosis, and robust research into effective treatments.

The patients’ experiences also reflect how endometriosis can affect employment and daily life. Tiffany, for example, says she was dismissed from a healthcare role because of absences related to her pain, though she has since found a workplace with an endometriosis-friendly policy. Advocates say such policies help keep people in work and lessen the financial and emotional toll of chronic conditions. The investigation, which synthesizes patient narratives with clinical context, emphasizes the need to move beyond fertility as a default solution and toward individualized care plans that address pain, quality of life, and long-term health outcomes for people living with endometriosis.