Women's pain is often dismissed in health care. This Arizona congresswoman wants to change that

Women often experience more pain than men and that pain is often dismissed or overlooked by health care professionals. Arizona Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari wants to change that.

On Tuesday, Ansari introduced what she’s calling the Health, Equity and Rights Agenda — and the acronym for this legislative package is HER. It aims to address gaps and inequities in women’s health care.

The HER agenda includes paid leave for symptoms related to reproductive health care conditions and procedures, like an IUD insertion or endometriosis. It would also study the barriers to pain management options during and after gynecological procedures. And it would direct the National Institutes of Health to research and fund clinical trials on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, a severe form of PMS.

The HER agenda is supported by several medical and reproductive research and healthcare advocacy groups.

What's included in Ansari's HER agenda:

• The Reproductive Healthcare Leave Act. This first-of-its-kind legislation would provide 12 days of paid leave for symptoms related to reproductive health conditions and procedures, including but not limited to menstrual pain, menopause, endometriosis, IUD insertion, pregnancy terminations, vasectomies and fertility treatments. 

  • Why it’s needed: In a 2019 study, 13.8% of women respondents reported absenteeism during menstruation and 80.7% reported presenteeism (the act of showing up for work or school without being productive). In another study, 65% of respondents in menopause reported work performance impacts, and 18% had taken sick leave. This bill ensures workers don’t have to face losing income or relying on limited sick days.

• The Gynecological Pain Management Study Act. Ansari’s bill would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to more precisely identify the barriers to pain management options during and after gynecologic procedures, including IUD insertion, endometrial biopsies and cancer screenings. It would also require the report to include legislative or administrative recommendations to close those gaps.

  • Why it’s needed: Last year, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) released new guidelines for pain management in gynecological procedures, citing an “urgent need.” Despite evidence-based pain management options for procedures like IUD insertion being available, countless patients have cited only being offered ibuprofen.

• The Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) Awareness and Research Act. Ansari’s bill would direct the NIH to research and provide educational materials on PMDD and to fund clinical trials on potential treatments.

  • Why it’s needed: PMDD is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) that affects an estimated 3.2% to 7.7% of women of reproductive age. PMDD has been shown to cause severe symptoms of anger, irritability, depression, and anxiety, as well as a significant increase in suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Despite the intensity of PMDD, it often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder due to a lack of awareness in both medical professionals and patients.