Sutton woman with ovarian disease calls on NHS to offer fertility treatment

Aimee Payne, 27, has endometriosis, a condition affecting one in ten women in the UK, which causes tissue similar to the lining of the womb to grow in other places.

The additional tissue growth can cause damage to the ovaries, affecting a woman's chances of having children, and treatment of the disease sometimes involves them being removed altogether.

After suffering eight years of consistent, debilitating pain, particularly accompanying bowel movements or urination, Ms Payne was finally diagnosed with the disease in May 2018, having been misdiagnosed countless times previously.

Ms Payne, who has previously had two miscarriages with her long-term partner, has launched a petition calling for the Government to enable women with endometriosis to freeze their eggs on the NHS in the same way as women undergoing chemotherapy can.

Ms Payne, originally from Swansea, said: "I’ve always wanted to be a mum, so for that to be taken away would have a huge impact on my mental health.

"Of course there are other options when it comes to starting a family, but I just want the chance to have my own child, which I fear could be taken away by the disease.

"There's a chance the adhesions wrapped around my ovaries could make me infertile, and future surgery could require them to be removed."

Aimee Payne

Chemotherapy treatment in known to affect women's fertility; chemo drugs can damage ovarian cells, as can radiation therapy.

Because of this, women undergoing chemotherapy are given the option of freezing some of their eggs on the NHS in case of any complications.

When the woman is ready for pregnancy, the eggs can be fertilised by IVF and then transferred to her uterus, where they will develop into a foetus.

Given women suffering endometriosis suffer a similar risk of infertility to chemotherapy patient, Ms Payne argues they should have the same free access to egg-freezing services.

She has launched a petition calling for women with the condition to be considered for egg freezing prior to undergoing treatment and surgery, which has been signed over 2000 times. 

On average, it takes seven-and-a-half years for a woman to be diagnosed with the condition, which often only comes to light when they try to have families.

Ms Payne said: "I suffered, and still suffer, excruciating pain and heaviness.

"For years the doctors misdiagnosed it, telling me it was just a heavy period.

"It's very frustrating - it makes you think it's all just in your head.

"Unfortunately I can't function on pain medication, which really affects my ability to function. It makes me feel withdrawn. Plus, I don't want to depend on it."

There is currently no known cure for endometriosis, but there are treatments that can help ease the symptoms.

Parts of the organs affect by the condition, such as the womb or ovaries, can be removed through surgery, however, this also poses serious fertility risks.

To sign the petition click here

To learn more visit: Endometriosis UK.