Supporting the designation of March 2023 as Endometriosis Awareness Month.

IV 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 217 Supporting the designation of March 2023 as Endometriosis Awareness Month. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 9, 2023 Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia (for himself, Mrs. GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N, Ms. WIL- LIAMS of Georgia, Ms. NORTON, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida, Ms. CHU, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. PANETTA, Ms. TLAIB, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. CARTER of Louisiana, Mr. PETERS, Ms. STEVENS, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Ms. JACKSON LEE, and Mr. ESPAILLAT) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Supporting the designation of March 2023 as Endometriosis Awareness Month. Whereas endometriosis is a disease in which the type of tis- sue that normally grows in the uterus (the endometrium) also grows outside of the uterus; Whereas endometriosis is one of the most common gyneco- logical diseases in women, and occurs in 1 in 10 women of reproductive age; Whereas the cause of endometriosis is not known, but risk factors include— VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:43 Mar 10, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR217.IH HR217 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HRES 217 IH (1) having a mother, sister, or daughter with endo- metriosis; (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, for many women, the only way currently available to be certain of an endometriosis diagnosis is to have a surgical procedure known as a laparoscopy; Whereas endometriosis primarily affects women in their 30s and 40s, but can affect any woman who menstruates; Whereas women experience a delay from three to eleven years between the first symptoms of pain and the final endo- metriosis diagnosis, which can lead to lower quality of life and high medical costs; Whereas for many girls and women, endometriosis is a life- long chronic disease that can affect relationships, school, work, fertility, and daily life; Whereas the primary symptoms of endometriosis include pain and infertility, and many with endometriosis live with de- bilitating, chronic pain; Whereas approximately 75 percent of women with endo- metriosis experience a misdiagnosis; Whereas the management of symptoms of endometriosis may include low-dose oral contraceptives, intrauterine devices (IUDs), painkillers, including nonsteroidal anti-inflam- matory drugs (NSAIDs), and gonadotropin-releasing hor- mone (GnRH) agonist therapy; Whereas endometriosis is associated with increased health care costs and poses a substantial burden to patients in the health care system; VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:43 Mar 10, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR217.IH HR217 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HRES 217 IH 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 im- paired career growth due to endometriosis, and approxi- mately 50 percent of women with endometriosis experi- ence a decreased ability to work; Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the average number of ‘‘bed days’’ for pa- tients 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 endo- metriosis 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 re- sources 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 re- search and treatment options to manage this debilitating disease; and Whereas there is no known cure for endometriosis: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1 (1) strongly supports the goals and ideals of 2 Endometriosis Awareness Month; 3 VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:43 Mar 10, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR217.IH HR217 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HRES 217 IH (2) recognizes the need for early detection and 1 treatment of endometriosis, increased education for 2 health care providers, and more culturally competent 3 care; 4 (3) remains committed to supporting and fund- 5 ing endometriosis research for more effective treat- 6 ments, increasing fertility, and, ultimately, a cure; 7 and 8 (4) encourages the people of the United States 9 to observe the month with appropriate awareness 10 and educational activities. 11 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 01:43 Mar 10, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR217.IH HR217 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS