Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Naga Munchetty reveals decades of medical neglect over chronic health condition

Munchetty said her diagnosis of adenomyosis came decades after doctors dismissed her symptoms

BBC broadcaster Naga Munchetty has told MPs her diagnosis of adenomyosis - where the womb's lining grows into its muscular walls - came decades after doctors dismissed her symptoms and told her to “suck it up” despite suffering from heavy periods, repeated vomiting and incapacitating pain.

In her testimony before the Commons women and equalities committee on Wednesday (18), Munchetty said though she sought help for her condition for more than 35 years, she was consistently told by NHS GPs that her symptoms were considered “normal”.


Munchetty, 48, told MPs her diagnosis was made only in November 2022.

She experienced two weeks of heavy bleeding and excruciating pain, prompting her to call an ambulance. A GP specialising in women's reproductive health suggested Munchetty seek private healthcare to avoid long NHS waiting lists.

Describing her experience, Munchetty revealed that she had been enduring distressing symptoms, such as severe pain and heavy menstrual bleeding, since her teenage.

She told the committee that her husband had to call an ambulance on one occasion due to the intensity of her pain.

During these years, doctors repeatedly told her that these symptoms were common for everyone.

What struck her most was that she heard this reassurance not only from male doctors, who had never personally encountered the challenges of menstruation, but also from female doctors who lacked firsthand experience in dealing with period-related pain.

Consequently, she found herself in a continuous situation where she felt compelled to wear dark, loose dress during her menstrual cycle and had to inform her superiors in advance when she needed to use the restroom.

Acknowledging that she was “privileged” to have access to private healthcare, Munchetty said this was the only time she felt she could demand understanding and explanations from her gynaecologist without feeling guilty about taking up too much of her GP's time due to a crowded waiting room.

Vicky Pattison, a television and media personality, also testified before the committee on Wednesday.

The committee is also examining any disparities in diagnosis and treatment and how women's experiences affect their health and lives.

Both women provided detailed accounts of their struggles to lead normal lives while repeatedly being belittled and let down by medical professionals over many decades.

They agreed that the NHS was “failing” women and girls, as GPs, specialists, and doctors lack the necessary expertise and training to recognise and address gynaecological issues that affect women and girls.

Munchetty recalled that when she discussed adenomyosis on her Radio 5 Live programme, GPs reached out to her, revealing they had not heard of the condition, were not taught about it, and did not know how to diagnose it.

Munchetty added, "When women do try to speak about it, they get labelled as troublemakers. It's really hard for women to win, but if the medical profession understood more, then we wouldn't have to fight as hard and feel like such a nuisance."

Pattison said women's health was "woefully misunderstood" across the NHS, with a great deal of ignorance and stigma, which results in women being reluctant to talk about it and perpetuates a harmful culture.

Committee chair Caroline Nokes said the committee would eventually provide guidance to the NHS and schools to address what Munchetty summarised as the "woeful misunderstanding, ignorance, stigma, and shame" surrounding women's health.

More For You

Harry and Meghan urge tougher safeguards to protect children online

Prince Harry criticised tech companies for citing privacy laws to deny access

Getty

Harry and Meghan urge tougher safeguards to protect children online

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have called for stronger protections for children online, warning that not enough is being done to shield young people from the dangers of social media

During a visit to New York, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle unveiled a new memorial dedicated to the memory of children whose families believe harmful online content contributed to their deaths. The installation, named the Lost Screen Memorial, features 50 smartphones, each displaying an image of a child lost to what their families describe as the adverse effects of social media. The memorial was made available to the public for 24 hours.

Keep ReadingShow less
Afghan exodus soars as Pakistan deadline nears

Afghan refugees arrive at a camp near the Torkham border last Sunday (20)

Afghan exodus soars as Pakistan deadline nears

MORE than 100,000 Afghans have left Pakistan in the past three weeks, the interior ministry said on Tuesday (22), after Islamabad announced the cancellation of residence permits.

Calling Afghans “terrorists and criminals”, the Pakistan government launched its mass eviction campaign on April 1. Analysts said the expulsions are designed to pressure Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, which Islamabad blames for fuelling a rise in border attacks.

Keep ReadingShow less
Government announces funding for offshore wind supply chains

Energy secretary Ed Miliband reads a letter from Britain's King Charles III during the Future of Energy Security Summit at Lancaster House on April 24, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Tallis - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Government announces funding for offshore wind supply chains

THE government has announced an initial £300 million investment to strengthen domestic offshore wind supply chains ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review. The funding will be distributed through Great British Energy, the country's publicly-owned clean energy company.

Prime minister Keir Starmer on Thursday (24) said the investment aims to support jobs and help the UK reach clean power by 2030.

Keep ReadingShow less
modi-pahalgam-getty

'I say to the whole world: India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backer,' Modi said in his first speech since the incident.

Getty Images

Modi vows to hunt Kashmir attackers ‘to the ends of the Earth’

INDIA and Pakistan have exchanged a series of diplomatic measures after prime minister Narendra Modi blamed Pakistan for a deadly shooting in Pahalgam, Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed.

Modi said India would identify and punish those behind the attack and accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump

Trump also announced an initiative on historically black colleges and universities and signed orders on AI education and workforce development.

Getty Images

Trump signs orders targeting university diversity policies and accreditation

DONALD TRUMP signed a set of executive orders on Wednesday aimed at US universities, focusing on foreign donations, college accreditation, and diversity and inclusion initiatives.

One order directs the federal government to enforce existing laws requiring universities to disclose large foreign gifts. Another addresses accreditation, which Trump has described as a “secret weapon.”

Keep ReadingShow less