My period pain was debilitating at school — we need to take young women more seriously --[Reported by Umva mag]

It’s a sad fact that women often struggle to get their health concerns taken seriously. Even those who seek expert help may find themselves being told by medical professionals that it’s ‘all in their head’, or they’re just ‘attention seeking’.

As such it’s no surprise that women are outraged by a school’s new sick day policy, which says period pains are no longer an acceptable reason for parents to excuse their child’s absence.

An email sent out to parents by the Neale-Wade Academy in Cambridgeshire stated that ‘medical information’ would be required in order for a pupil to take a sick day because of period pain. 

It continued to say that students would also not be authorised to have an absence if they were simply said to be ‘unwell’, ‘poorly’, ‘ill’, or ‘had a cold’.

Parents can be issued with fines of up to £160 if their child misses 10 or more sessions (five days) for unathorised absences.

The school claims the the new rules are in line with statutory guidance, but many think they’ve taken things too far. As such, women have been sharing their own harrowing period experiences, with some recalling how they ‘vomited’ or ‘passed out’ at school due to extreme pain. 

Michaella Mazzoni, a nutritionist based in Cambridgeshire, felt particularly passionate about the situation, telling Metro how the policy would have posed a major problem for her in her younger years, as she regularly had to have time off because of period pain.

‘My periods started when I was super young, around 11 years old and quickly became a problem for me,’ she said. ‘By the time I was in secondary school I was experiencing debilitating pain and digestive issues, as well as low mood before my cycle started.’

Painkillers were little help to dull the pain, only really working for the last few days of her period.

‘For the first few days, it wouldn’t be enough and I’d often have to miss school. Fortunately my mum was very understanding and would let me stay home.’

Now in her 30s, Michaella finally knows that the levels of pain she’s felt her entire life weren’t ‘normal’, but it took plenty of fighting and heartbreak to get an official diagnosis — something she wasn’t able to get as a teen. 

‘I know now that my symptoms were caused by endometriosis, although I’ve only been diagnosed in the past few years due to infertility and miscarriage.’

Michaella was diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis, which is the most severe form of the disease. Endometriosis is where cells similar to those in the lining of the womb (uterus) grow in other parts of the body, and symptoms include pain and heavy periods. It can have a number of impacts on a woman’s everyday life, including causing fertility problems.

The latter is something Michaella has particularly struggled with, because of this she wishes her pain had been taken more seriously, so she could have been diagnosed earlier. 

‘I’m fortunate in that my pain and energy are well managed now, but my fertility has been massively impacted. I’ve just recently had to go through IVF to try to get pregnant and suffered another miscarriage. I can’t help but wonder if I’d been diagnosed sooner if my endometriosis could have been better managed sooner and not impacted my fertility so severely.’

She hopes that other young girls won’t have to suffer the way she has, but with policies such as the one at the Neale-Wade Academy, she’s concerned things aren’t getting better. 

‘The big problem here I think is [the policy] implies that people who have to miss school because of their periods are being “dramatic”. It doesn’t take the level of pain that young people are in seriously and that message over time could lead young people to not insist on getting instigations with their GP to eventually diagnose conditions like PMDD, endometriosis, PCOS or fibroids. Many of which take years to get diagnosed.

‘In my clinical work I’m often encouraging clients, sometimes writing letters for them, to speak with their GP and insist on being referred for investigations and support. I don’t feel that women’s health and periods are taken as seriously as they should. When someone says they are struggling with their health or symptoms, believe them. They shouldn’t have to prove it.’

And experts agree. Dr Jan Toledano, a woman’s hormone specialist and the founder of the London Hormone Clinic, told Metro that the school’s policy ‘impacts female students disproportionately’ and the ‘disparity needs to be mitigated’.

The doctor explains that it will be ‘hard’ for female students to get ‘medical evidence’ for their period pain as many don’t realise they shouldn’t be putting up with serious menstrual symptoms in the first place. Others might not have access to medical help, or will have absent parents who aren’t providing the support they need. 

She adds: ‘If young female students were educated that no woman should be suffering the effects of hormonal imbalance and there was active support and medical treatment for all girls, then this new policy would be reasonable. As things stand it seems unfair to girls and does not attempt to mitigate by having a school nurse/doctor in a position of support/education.

‘I do see the argument for it as many students may rely on this excuse especially since covid, but a policy regarding period pain should not be brought in without the support required to tackle the causes and treat the reasons for difficult cycles.’

Metro contacted the Neale-Wade Academy for comment on the school’s absence policy. 

Graham Horn, Principal at Neale-Wade Academy, said: ‘At Neale-Wade Academy, we prioritise student well-being and recognise that regular attendance is crucial for academic success. In line with new statutory guidance from the Department for Education and Cambridgeshire Local Authority, effective 19th August 2024, we are implementing changes to our attendance policies including how student absence is reported to the school.

‘These changes include increased support for students at risk of persistent absence and potential legal consequences for unauthorised absences. We appreciate the cooperation of parents and carers as we work together to ensure the best educational outcomes for all our students.’

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