Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Melissa Davey Medical editor

‘Outdated pseudoscience’: women still being told having a baby will cure endometriosis, Australian study finds

Closeup image of woman sitting in bed feeling stomach ache
Endometriosis is a chronic disease associated with severe, life-impacting pain due to tissue similar to the lining of the uterus growing outside the uterus.
Photograph: Getty Images

Despite being in her 20s, newly graduated from a law degree, and at a point in her life when it was “definitely not the right time to have a child,” that’s exactly the advice the gynaecologist treating Suzie Wnukowska-Mtonga for endometriosis gave her.

“My mum was at the appointment with me, and when the gynaecologist told me getting pregnant would help treat my symptoms, Mum said, ‘If you have a child I’d be happy to look after them,’”Wnukowska-Mtonga said. “But the timing wasn’t right, my now ex-boyfriend was living overseas, and I wanted to start my career.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.