[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 29, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1835-S1836]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 560--RECOGNIZING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ENDOMETRIOSIS AS 
   AN UNMET CHRONIC DISEASE FOR WOMEN AND DESIGNATING MARCH 2022 AS 
                   ``ENDOMETRIOSIS AWARENESS MONTH''

  Ms. DUCKWORTH (for herself, Mrs. Capito, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. 
Blumenthal, Ms. Klobuchar, and Mr. Booker) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 560

       Whereas more than 6,500,000 women in the United States are 
     living with endometriosis;
       Whereas endometriosis is a painful and debilitating chronic 
     disease affecting--
       (1) approximately 190,000,000 women throughout the world;
       (2) an estimated 1 in 10 women of reproductive age in the 
     United States; and
       (3) primarily women in their 30s and 40s, but can affect 
     any woman who menstruates;
       Whereas the cause of endometriosis is not known, but risk 
     factors include--
       (1) having a mother, sister, or daughter with 
     endometriosis;
       (2) menstrual cycles that started at an early age;
       (3) menstrual cycles that are short; and
       (4) periods that are heavy and last more than 7 days;
       Whereas endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to that 
     normally found in the uterus begins to grow outside the 
     uterus;

[[Page S1836]]

       Whereas the only way currently available to be certain of 
     an endometriosis diagnosis is to have a surgical procedure 
     known as a laparoscopy;
       Whereas the primary symptoms of endometriosis include pain 
     and infertility, and many women with endometriosis live with 
     debilitating, chronic pain;
       Whereas symptoms of anxiety and depression are common among 
     women with the endometriosis, with reported rates as high as 
     75 to 90 percent;
       Whereas, although endometriosis is one of the most common 
     gynecological disorders in the United States, there is a lack 
     of awareness and prioritization of endometriosis as an 
     important health issue for women;
       Whereas women can suffer for up to 10 years before being 
     properly diagnosed;
       Whereas approximately 75 percent of women with 
     endometriosis experience a misdiagnosis;
       Whereas endometriosis is 1 of the 3 main causes of female 
     infertility, and between 30 and 50 percent of women with 
     endometriosis experience infertility;
       Whereas health care providers must focus on managing the 
     symptoms of endometriosis, which may include in vitro 
     fertilization (IVF), low-dose oral contraceptives, 
     intrauterine devices (IUDs), painkillers, including 
     nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and 
     gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist therapy;
       Whereas endometriosis is associated with increased health 
     care costs and poses a substantial burden to patients in the 
     health care system;
       Whereas, in the United States, the estimated average direct 
     health care cost associated with endometriosis per patient is 
     more than $13,000 per year;
       Whereas 40 percent of women with endometriosis report 
     impaired career growth due to endometriosis, and 
     approximately 50 percent of women with endometriosis 
     experience a decreased ability to work;
       Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
     found that the average number of ``bed days'' for patients 
     with endometriosis was 18 days per year;
       Whereas women with endometriosis can lose 11 hours per 
     workweek through lost productivity;
       Whereas the physical and psychological impact of 
     endometriosis affects all domains of life, including social 
     life, relationships, and work;
       Whereas medical societies and patient groups have expressed 
     the need for greater public attention and updated resources 
     targeted to public education about this unmet health need for 
     women;
       Whereas there is a need for more research and updated 
     guidelines to treat endometriosis;
       Whereas there is an ongoing need for additional clinical 
     research and treatment options to manage this debilitating 
     disease; and
       Whereas there is no known cure for endometriosis: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates March 2022 as ``Endometriosis Awareness 
     Month'';
       (2) recognizes the importance of endometriosis as a health 
     issue for women that requires far greater attention, public 
     awareness, and education about the disease;
       (3) encourages the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
     the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs--
       (A) to provide information to women, patients, and health 
     care providers with respect to endometriosis, including 
     available screening tools and treatment options, with a goal 
     of improving the quality of life and health outcomes of women 
     affected by endometriosis;
       (B) to conduct additional research on endometriosis and 
     possible clinical options; and
       (C) to update information, tools, and studies currently 
     available with respect to helping women live with 
     endometriosis; and
       (4) respectfully requests that the Secretary of the Senate 
     transmit an enrolled copy of this resolution to the Secretary 
     of Health and Human Services.

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