Parents of teenagers have been urged not to dismiss their children’s painful periods, especially when it causes them to miss school, since they be developing or suffering from Endometriosis. Photo: The Independent

The Virgin Islands (VI) is joining in the recognition of March as Endometriosis Awareness Month, with Endometriosis Awareness Day being celebrated on March 28, 2026. Photo: Internet Source

(L-R) Talking Points Co-hosts Damion C. Grange, Elvin G. Grant, and guest Dr Neveta Sutherland-Vaccianna, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the British Virgin Islands Health Services Authority. Photo: Facebook

Dr Neveta Sutherland-Vaccianna, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the British Virgin Islands Health Services Authority (BVIHSA), was the guest on Talking Points on ZBVI 780 AM on Monday, March 2, 2026.

Endometriosis Awareness Month is being celebrated under the theme ‘Endometriosis Doesn't Wait’, focusing on accelerating diagnosis and improving care for the 1 in 10 females affected.

A yellow ribbon and golden wattle are commonly used to represent strength and unity for those with endometriosis. 

A chronic disease affecting women from menstruation to menopause

“Endometriosis is a chronic estrogen dependent inflamatory condition that affects women in the reproductive age group, that is characterised by the abnormal presence of the lining of the womb. Basically, the lining of the womb is outside the womb, where it should not be,” she explained. 

Because it is chronic, it occurs repeatedly across a period of time, she added, and is one of the key factors in determining that something is wrong. 

Endometriosis can affect young girls and women from age 12 until menopause. 

“Once you’ve started your period until you stop seeing your period, there is a potential for you to be affected by endometriosis,” Dr Sutherland-Vaccianna said. 

Those suffering from endometriosis will have characteristics such as pain and tenderness, with the key symptom being painful periods that worsen, do not improve with standard pain medications and negatively impact one’s quality of life. 

Do not dismiss your children- Dr Sutherland-Vaccianna

Dr Sutherland-Vaccianna said endometriosis most often takes a long time to be diagnosed, as there is usually a lengthy delay due to patients presenting first to their families and offered home remedies or self-medication and then to general practitioners who offer stronger pain medications before seeing a specialist. 

“By the time they reach to the gyneocologist they are having such severe symptoms.”

She urged parents of teenagers not to dismiss their children’s painful periods, especially when it causes them to miss school. 

“Some parents think that the child just doesn’t want to be at school, they want to miss school, they don’t want to learn, so that’s one of the key things to look out for.”

Dr Sutherland-Vaccianna said endometriosis can become so severe that the pain occurs outside of menstruation due to the inflammation.