Grace Jennings-Edquist faced a harrowing medical journey starting from July 2021, when she underwent her first emergency surgery while 16 weeks pregnant. Over the next four years, she would have to navigate a complex healthcare system, ultimately resulting in a total of 16 surgeries due to complications from an aggressive form of Crohn’s Disease.
Diagnosis and Complications
Initially, Grace sought medical help after experiencing sudden, severe pelvic pain. Her first doctor diagnosed her with an “overactive pelvic floor,” a decision she later questioned. After seeking a second opinion, she discovered a large, infected abscess in her pelvis requiring immediate surgery. The abscess stemmed from Crohn’s Disease, a chronic autoimmune condition affecting approximately 180,000 people in Australia.
The disease presents unique challenges, particularly for women, who often face delays in diagnosis and higher rates of misdiagnosis. Grace’s experience reflects broader systemic issues in how medical professionals understand and treat women’s health concerns. In Australia, around 85 percent of bowel surgeons are male, which can lead to misunderstandings regarding female physiology.
Challenges in the Healthcare System
Throughout her ordeal, Grace encountered numerous healthcare professionals, many of whom struggled to manage her condition effectively. She recounted an instance where, after waking from surgery, she found herself repositioned on her back—an action that increases the risks of stillbirth in late pregnancy. Despite having communicated her concerns prior to surgery, her wishes were overlooked.
Grace’s diagnosis of Crohn’s was confirmed months after the birth of her son, during a distressing hospital visit where she was reprimanded by a male surgeon regarding her choice of gastroenterologist. This moment encapsulated her frustrations with a system that often prioritizes its own protocols over patient dignity and agency.
Her journey involved learning to balance breastfeeding with post-operative recovery, often feeling that her needs were secondary to the medical staff’s approach. Grace’s experiences underscore the importance of advocacy within a healthcare system that frequently fails to accommodate the specific needs of women.
Research from James Cook University highlights significant gaps in medical education regarding women’s health. There is currently no fixed requirement for medical schools in Australia to include comprehensive women’s health training in their curricula. This gap leaves many doctors ill-prepared to understand how hormonal changes, such as those occurring during pregnancy, can affect autoimmune diseases.
Grace’s story serves as a reminder of the urgent need for medical education reform to better address women’s health issues. The ongoing challenge is not only to improve knowledge among healthcare professionals but also to ensure that women are heard and respected throughout their medical journeys.
As Grace continues to manage her condition, she emphasizes the critical need for healthcare providers to prioritize listening to women. Her advocacy reflects a broader movement towards ensuring that women’s health is given the attention it deserves in medical practice.
