🚨 The Crisis: A Shortage of Truly Specialized Endo Surgeons

Endometriosis affects nearly 1 in 10 people assigned female at birth, yet getting proper care remains a challenge in Canada. Many patients wait years for a diagnosis and even longer for surgery. Why is that?

While many gynecologists can help manage symptoms, only a small number are trained in advanced excision surgery, the type of surgery that fully removes endometriosis tissue. This is considered the gold standard for treatment, especially for those with deep or complex disease.

Unfortunately:

• Diagnosis can take 5 to 10 years

  
  

• Surgery wait times range from 6 months to over 2 years

  
  

• Some patients are told to just “manage the pain” with birth control or hormone therapy

Why the Shortage?

There are several reasons:

• Endometriosis isn’t well-covered in medical training

  
  

• Skilled surgeons often don’t have enough operating room (OR) time

  
  

• Women’s health surgeries are sometimes given lower priority than other procedures

  
  

• Even passionate, well-trained surgeons are limited by hospital systems that don’t recognize the urgent need for timely excision surgery.

  
  

• Patients Are Looking Abroad

  
  

• Because of long wait times at home, more Canadians are traveling to clinics overseas, like those in Romania or the U.S., to get expert care. While this option isn’t accessible to everyone, it highlights how broken our system has become. No one should have to leave their country to get the care they deserve.

What Needs to Change

• To improve care for endometriosis patients in Canada, we need:

  
  

• Better training for doctors at all levels

  
  

• More funding and access to excision specialists

  
  

• Fair and timely referrals to surgery and treatment

  
  

Endometriosis is not just “bad periods”—it’s a chronic, life-altering condition that deserves real action and support.

If you’re struggling to find a specialist, visit Nancy's Nook or contact Endometriosis Canada for help navigating care.

Together, we can push for change.