Women will be offered the ‘green whistle’ pain relief during IUD insertion procedures and a special clinic will be set up to support girls at the Royal Children’s Hospital as a result of the state government’s Inquiry into Women’s Pain.
On Sunday 9 November, Premier Jacinta Allan and Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas released the final Bridging the Gender Pain Gap report, based on the experiences shared by 13,000 women and girls aged between 12 and 79, as well as their carers, clinicians, and peak bodies
The government said the report revealed gender health gaps, experiences of medical bias, sexism and misogyny and feelings of being ignored or dismissed by clinicians.
The process also reaffirmed that chronic pain disproportionately impacts women, affects their daily lives, relationships, employment, and overall wellbeing.
The report found that 90 per cent of respondents experienced pain lasting more than a year, and 54 per cent experienced pain daily. Eighty-nine per cent said their pain impacted their mental health.
The most common conditions were menstrual and hormonal (40 per cent), endometriosis (26 per cent), and musculoskeletal problems (26 per cent).
The inquiry also found that 71 per cent of respondents cited widespread dismissal by healthcare professionals.
Ms Allan and Ms Thomas said a pilot trialling the use of the ‘green whistle’ for IUD insertion at Victoria’s 20 Sexual and Reproductive Health Hubs would help remove pain, and the fear of pain, as a barrier to IUD use.
They said the government would also set a Women’s Pain Standard across Victoria’s health system – empowering women to know the standard they should expect when seeking care
Once in place, the Women’s Pain Standard will support the consistent delivery of high quality pain counselling and relief starting with common gynaecological procedures like IUD insertion, they said.
“The Women’s Pain Standard and the green whistle trial will be gamechangers for Victorian women – but our work doesn’t stop here,” Ms Thomas said.
Ms Allan said the creation of a clinic for adolescent girls at the RCH would be life-changing.
The new clinic will focus on sexual and reproductive health and pain conditions such as endometriosis in young people up to the age of 18 and will open in 2026.
“It’s time we stop hearing that our pain doesn’t exist,” Ms Allan said.
Details: health.vic.gov.au/inquiry-into-womens-pain
