For millions of American women, the dream of starting a family is quietly undermined by a disease that the healthcare system has long neglected: endometriosis. Affecting at least one in eight women—nearly 200 million globally—the condition occurs when uterine-like tissue grows outside the uterus, causing inflammation, pain, and organ damage. Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) is now spotlighting how delayed diagnosis fuels an infertility crisis that could be mitigated with earlier intervention.
Britt recently shared the story of Emily, a teenager whose debilitating pain began in adolescence. Emily experienced episodes so severe she could barely walk down her driveway, missed school, and lost touch with friends. Despite two surgeries before her 17th birthday, she found no relief. Doctors prescribed powerful hormones to induce temporary menopause—a treatment with serious side effects like bone loss for someone her age. At one point, her weight dropped to nearly 90 pounds.
Emily’s family traveled to top hospitals and specialists across the country, only to face repeated misdiagnoses. Doctors managed her symptoms rather than identifying the underlying disease. Her story is not unique. Across the U.S., countless young women endure years of pain, misdiagnoses, and ineffective treatments before finally getting answers. And the long delay carries a life-altering consequence: infertility.
Research shows that women with endometriosis are up to four times more likely to experience infertility than those without it. Among women struggling to conceive, 25 to 50 percent are diagnosed with endometriosis, making it one of the most common underlying causes. Yet women typically wait up to ten years for a diagnosis—a decade of chasing answers, hearing their pain is normal, and watching the disease silently progress.
“When it comes to fertility, time matters,” Britt wrote. Endometriosis can damage the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and surrounding organs, causing inflammation and scarring that impair fertility. Earlier diagnosis could lead to earlier treatment and help protect reproductive health before serious damage occurs. For many women, it could mean the difference between years of heartbreak and the chance to build a family.
Britt has worked in the Senate to protect access to fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization (IVF), but she argues that protecting access is only part of the solution. “We must also better understand the conditions that contribute to infertility in the first place,” she said. The senator is calling for increased research through institutions like the National Institutes of Health to develop non-invasive diagnostics and targeted therapies. Meanwhile, other political battles over reproductive health continue, underscoring the broader stakes.
Britt emphasized that endometriosis is not just a women’s health issue—it’s a family issue. “As a nation that values strong families and healthy communities, we must do everything possible to ensure women have the knowledge, care, and medical advances needed to protect their fertility,” she wrote. She noted that women shouldn’t have to wait nearly a decade for answers, and their fertility shouldn’t be harmed due to lack of education and institutional inaction. Just as policy decisions can have hidden costs, so too can medical neglect.
In Alabama and across the country, Britt has heard from women who spent years searching for a diagnosis and from couples who discovered too late that an unknown disease was affecting their ability to have children. “Their stories serve as a stark reminder that this issue is not abstract,” she said. “It is deeply personal.” Making sure women get faster answers and better care, Britt argues, benefits everyone: when women’s health improves, families and communities grow stronger.
