How The Documentary Below The Belt Shines A Light On Endometriosis

ForbesWomen How The Documentary ‘Below The Belt’ Shines A Light On Endometriosis Jennifer “Jay” Palumbo Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. CEO of Wonder Woman Writer & Mom to two boys, one with autism. New! Follow this author to improve your content experience.

Got it! Jun 28, 2022, 12:34pm EDT | Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Shot of a young woman experiencing stomach pain while lying on the sofa at home getty Endometriosis can often be a misunderstood and misdiagnosed medical condition, even though it affects one in ten women and 25% to 50% of women who deal with infertility . Making matters more frustrating, endometriosis is sometimes mistaken for other conditions such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) or ovarian cysts. It may also be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

In other cases, 20–25% of patients are completely asymptomatic. It’s these concerns, as well as the lack of support and education for women’s reproductive health, that the documentary, Below The Belt highlights. The film is directed by Shannon Cohn and exposes widespread problems in our healthcare systems through the lens of four patients urgently searching for answers to mysterious symptoms.

From societal taboos and gender bias to misinformed doctors and profit-driven healthcare, the film reveals how millions of people with endometriosis are effectively silenced. Highlighting An Often Ignored Disease NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 24: (L-R) Executive Producer Hillary Rodham Clinton and Director & Producer . .

. [+] Shannon Cohn attend “Below The Belt” New York Premiere at Museum of Modern Art on May 24, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images) Getty Images Below the Belt follows several women battling endometriosis, shedding light on an important issue that affects a significant population of women worldwide– yet still lacks awareness.

“I have endometriosis, and my daughters have an increased risk of endometriosis, so this is a very personal film,” said Cohn. “I first had symptoms at 16 but didn’t hear the word endometriosis until I was 29. So I spent 13 years searching for answers in a veritable revolving door of specialists, tests, and medications.

So when my OBGYN finally said offhandedly that she saw endometriosis during a surgery to remove a cyst, I had no idea what it was. So I got on my laptop and searched for it. I saw the statistics, and frankly, I was terrified.

Not only about the health ramifications, I felt incredibly alone as my doctor clearly wasn’t informed about the disease. ” MORE FOR YOU Spring Health Notches A $190 Million Series C At A $2 Billion Valuation, Making CEO April Koh The Youngest Woman To Run A Unicorn A Year After Unleashing War Crimes Against Indigenous Armenians, Azerbaijan’s Threats And Violations Continue The Secret To Being The Wildly Popular Mayor Of Miami? Surround Yourself With Amazing Latina Women Executive producers on the film include former secretary of state Hillary Clinton and actress and activist Rosario Dawson, Corinne Foxx, and Mae Whitman. “We are honored to work alongside these incredible Executive Producers to amplify the stories and give a voice to millions with endometriosis,” Cohn said.

“When we asked each Executive Producers to collaborate, they were enthusiastic and supportive. They know well that it’s past time that endometriosis gets the attention it deserves. ” Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the inner lining of the uterus, also known as the endometrium, is found outside its normal location, where the tissue should not be.

The disease affects 1 in 10 reproductive-aged individuals (aged 12-52) – an estimated 200 million women worldwide – and many often experience a decade-long delay in diagnosis. Currently, there is no known exact cause of endometriosis, and there is no cure. NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 24: (L-R) Iris Kerin Orbuch, MD, Mae Whitman, Emily Hatch Manwaring .

. . [+] participate in a panel discussion during “Below The Belt” New York Premiere at Museum of Modern Art on May 24, 2022 in New York City.

(Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images) Getty Images “Shannon Cohn and I have been teaming together for over a decade to help raise awareness,” Dr. Orbuch states. Iris Kerin Orbuch, MD, is the Advanced Gynecologic Laparoscopy Center Director in Los Angeles.

“Every day in my office, as I hear patient after patient tells a similarly different story about their Endo journey, I want to punch my fist through the window in my office. It is devastating to hear how much patients suffer especially when so much suffering can be averted by early diagnosis and early treatment. ” Each case of endometriosis can vary from woman to woman; the same goes for the severity of symptoms and their impact on her fertility.

Some women, as we mentioned, may be able to conceive independently, and some may need reproductive technology to help them expand their families. “We made these films ( Below the Belt and the educational film Endo What? ) to try to change the course of the disease for the 200 million people worldwide that it affects,” added Cohn. “To give people with endometriosis guidance and validation in the face of stigma, biases, and misinformation.

The films are tools to bridge the gap between patient experience and physician knowledge and bring endometriosis into mainstream discussion. ” When asked why endometriosis takes so long to diagnose and treat properly, Cohn responded, “Both gender and racial bias come into the picture when patients visit healthcare providers with endo symptoms. This typically results in further diagnostic delay.

Finally, many primary care physicians and OB/GYNs are unformed about the true symptomatic profile of the disease. ” “From a symptom point of view, some suffering from endometriosis experience gastrointestinal symptoms, others experience more gynecological issues, and others suffer more from urological symptoms,” Dr. Orbuch explained.

“Gastrointestinal symptoms include constipation, diarrhea, painful bowel movements, or bloating. Gynecological symptoms include painful periods, painful sex, heavy periods, or infertility . Urological symptoms include urinating frequency, urinating at night, and urinary urgency.

Endometriosis symptoms span various organ systems, coupled with providers having a myopic view of endometriosis as only a period disease. No diagnostic test for endometriosis leads to a nearly decade-long diagnosis delay. It’s crazy to think that in the United States, there is a roughly 8 to 10-year diagnostic delay from symptom onset to diagnosis.

” Dr. Orbuch also added that everything she learned in four years of medical school and four years of residency about endometriosis was inaccurate. She learned more in her first week of fellowship than she did in eight years of medical school and residency.

The Goal Of The Documentary NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 24: (L-R) Mary Alice Hatch, Ted Lee, MD, Heather Guidone, BCPA, Louise . . .

[+] King, MD, Iris Kerin Orbuch, MD, Mae Whitman, Emily Hatch Manwaring, Jenneh Rishe, Shannon Cohn, and moderator Roni Rabin, participate in a panel discussion during “Below The Belt” New York Premiere at Museum of Modern Art on May 24, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images) Getty Images In speaking to both Orbuch and Cohn, one of the many goals of this documentary is to help push for an early diagnosis and early treatment. Helping achieve this is the creation of a medical school curriculum which is currently underway in the United States.

“I want viewers to understand how devastating the nearly decade diagnostic delay from symptom onset to diagnosis is,” Dr. Orbuch said. “If endometriosis had been diagnosed in teenagers, their life trajectories would be vastly different.

But instead, the nearly 10-year diagnostic delay leads to so much pain and suffering. ” “I hope anyone who watches it is outraged that this is happening to so many people in the 21st century,” Cohn said. “I also hope the public realizes that a highly prevalent disease with a weird, complicated name called endometriosis wreaks havoc needlessly on the lives of millions of people due to taboo, stigma, bias, misinformation, and historical lack of focus on women’s health.

This is incredibly unjust, and we can all do something about this to right the course. ” What The Future Holds gynecology, consultation. Gynecologist explains a woman with diseases of the uterus and ovaries, .

. . [+] pointing on atomic uterus getty “We are working hard on an impact campaign about the film that includes a medical school screening tour, University screening tour in addition to in-person and virtual screenings around the world,” said Cohn.

“These screenings are designed to bring all disease stakeholders (patients, providers, government leaders, media, etc. ) to the same room to view the film together and then have constructive dialogue. ” In addition, they’ve been focused on educating front-line providers, especially school nurses in the United States.

This is through their School Nurse Initiative. Each school nurse gets a copy of the film, educational booklet, posters for their infirmary, Discussion Guide, and Sample Curriculum and earns 3. 5 Continuing Education credits.

Dr. Orbuch advises that if you suspect this condition, read as much as possible online and seek an endometriosis excision specialist. In addition, she recommends having them read Beating Endo, How to Reclaim Your Life From Endometriosis.

“Many endo myths are still currently being propagated,” said Orbuch. “First of all, pregnancy does not cure endometriosis. Nor does hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) cure endometriosis.

Additionally, castration (removal of ovaries) is not the treatment for endometriosis. Instead, surgical excision of endometriosis is the gold standard of treatment for endometriosis. ” Additionally, Cohn advises patients to advocate for a referral to an endometriosis specialist who has the proper training to perform excision surgery and values a multi-disciplinary approach.

“Be sure to get educated about the disease from reputable sources – online is a great place to start,” she said. “I recommend Nancy’s Nook, The Endometriosis Coalition, The Endo Girls Blog, Bridget Hustwaite, Emma Barnett, and the Endo What? social media accounts . ” Follow me on Twitter .

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