Reproductive health conditions: girls and young women

Status / emerging findings

• Published 4 March 2026: Committee found government's December 2024 response 'deeply disappointing' and warned renewed Women's Health Strategy will be 'inadequate' if it doesn't address these concerns
• Nearly 500,000 women on hospital gynaecology waiting lists; Tower Hamlets Women's Health Hub model proved 85% of cases manageable in community (60% reduction in referrals), but systemic blocks prevent appropriate routing
• School nursing workforce reduced 27%; three-quarters of girls report menstrual pain dismissed on first GP visit; only 2% of research funding allocated to reproductive health
• Social media platforms shadow-banning reputable medical professionals (Dr Nighat Arif, Dr Aziza Sesay) posting reproductive health content using correct anatomical terminology, driving young people to unreliable sources
• New RSHE curriculum mandates menstrual/gynaecological health teaching but implementation stalled due to teacher knowledge gaps and lack of training support; endometriosis diagnosis delayed longer in younger patients who are 'too young' label barrier

Why it matters

Nearly half a million women are waiting for gynaecological care while experiencing pain, fertility threats, and educational/employment disruption—early intervention on menstrual health in girls could prevent serious conditions, yet the NHS lacks workforce, schools lack teacher training, and social media actively censors reproductive health information.

Tone arc

Started procedural and collaborative in November 2025 (gathering evidence on education and waiting lists), grew increasingly critical through December 2025–January 2026 as workforce capacity, social media censorship, and ethnic health inequities emerged as systemic failures, culminating in March 2026 report tone of frustration at government inaction on December 2024 recommendations.

Key witnesses

Baroness Merron (Minister for Women's Health and Mental Health), Dr Sue Mann (NHS England national clinical director for women's health), Professor Dame Lesley Regan (women's health ambassador), Kate Lancaster (Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists), Dr Nighat Arif (doctor; social media censorship impact), Dr Aziza Sesay (anatomical terminology and stigma), Chella Quint OBE (menstrual health educator), Dr Tori Ford (reproductive health)