One in four women in England have serious reproductive health issue, survey finds

More than a quarter of women in England are living with a serious reproductive health issue, according to the largest survey of its kind, and experts say “systemic, operational, structural and cultural issues” prevent women from accessing care.

The survey of 60,000 women across England in 2023, funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and analysed by academics at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, found that 28% of respondents were living with a reproductive morbidity, such as pelvic organ prolapse, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, or cervical, uterine, ovarian or breast cancer.

Almost a fifth (19%) of women reported experiencing severe period pain in the last year, and 40% of respondents reported heavy menstrual bleeding. More than 30% of participants aged 16-24 reported severe period pain.

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Source: The Guardian, 10 April 2025