Women’s pain in healthcare not being taken seriously is a matter of life and death, according to a Senedd member who led a debate on women’s health issues. Delyth Jewell, a Plaid Cymru AM, highlighted that the normalization of women’s physical and emotional pain within the healthcare system is unacceptable and leading to fatal consequences. She expressed concern over women being deterred from seeking healthcare treatment due to the acceptance of their pain as routine.
During the debate, Jewell criticized the societal expectation for women to tolerate pain from procedures like smear tests, coil fittings, and hysteroscopies, emphasizing that women’s suffering should not be trivialized. She called for legal measures to enforce obligations related to women’s health and to challenge the pervasive acceptance of period pain as a natural part of women’s lives from a young age.
The Senedd member raised alarming statistics on gynaecological cancers, highlighting that delayed referrals and diagnoses contribute to the grim outcomes. She urged the Welsh Government to strengthen expectations for quality healthcare for women and girls, particularly in areas like gynaecology, midwifery, postnatal care, mental health, and menopause services.
Jewell advocated for increased research and understanding of conditions like endometriosis that predominantly affect women. She expressed dismay over the dismissal and trivialization of women’s pain, with many women feeling unheard or belittled when seeking medical help.
Other politicians also voiced their concerns during the debate. Labour’s Carolyn Thomas highlighted the cultural normalization of women enduring pain, while Plaid Cymru’s Sioned Williams stressed the need for improved menopause services and education to break taboos around women’s health. Conservative MS Natasha Asghar and Plaid Cymru’s Heledd Fychan and Sioned Williams also emphasized the urgency for a comprehensive women’s health plan in Wales.
However, Sarah Murphy, speaking on behalf of the Welsh Government, reassured that women’s health remains a priority, with plans to present a strategy focused on women’s voices and experiences by December 10. While the Senedd unanimously agreed on the non-binding motion to address the normalization of women’s pain in healthcare, Murphy disagreed on the necessity for legislative changes.
The debate highlighted the urgency of addressing the systemic issues that undermine women’s health care experiences and called for concrete actions to ensure women are heard, believed, and cared for within the healthcare system. It underscored the need for a shift in societal attitudes towards women’s pain and a commitment to providing comprehensive, respectful, and sensitive healthcare services to all women.