Australian country artist loses unborn twins to endometriosis

Country singer Taylor Moss shares endometriosis and fertility challenges In short: An ARIA-nominated country music artist has shared how stage four endometriosis has affected her everyday life and fertility. A Sunshine Coast endometriosis surgeon says more research is needed to further treatment options for Australian women. What's next? After undergoing her fourth surgery last month, Noosa singer Taylor Moss hopes her story will help other affected women to feel less alone. On stage, she is an ARIA-nominated artist, but behind the scenes, Taylor Moss is battling stage four endometriosis. The Noosa country singer first started suffering debilitating period cramps as a teenager and was diagnosed at age 18. Now 31, she has undergone four surgeries and is still suffering. "I feel like women are told to just get on contraception or take some Panadol and Nurofen and get on with it," Ms Moss said. 'Complex condition' Sunshine Coast University Hospital gynaecologist and laparoscopic surgeon Vanessa Watson said medical professionals were still developing an understanding of the chronic disease. "Historically we've thought of endometriosis as endometrial tissue, like the lining of the uterus, located elsewhere outside of the uterus," she said. "But increasingly we're understanding it to be quite a complex, hormonal, inflammatory, and immune condition." Dr Watson said symptoms included worse-than-average period pain that could persist between periods, pain that affected bowel function and caused bloating, general unwellness and more. "For some, it significantly affects their ability to study, or to attend work regularly, or the consistency of employment. It affects their relationships, affects their personal wellbeing and their mental health," she said. Fertility affected In the past year, Ms Moss has experienced three pregnancy losses due to the disease. "I was pregnant with twins. One of them made it to my uterus and the second one got stuck in my fallopian tube," she said. "And I lost one of my fallopian tubes. "Not only did I go through the loss of miscarriage, I lost an organ — a part of my body and a part of my reproduction as a woman." In her recent surgery, Ms Moss had her remaining fallopian tube unblocked. "We really, really hope that in terms of conceiving, that it's going to be this one tube is going to do the job for me," she said. "But if it doesn't, IVF is my next journey." Ms Moss said being an independent artist, she felt there was no choice but to push through — no matter how "tough" it was. "I was breaking out in hives all over my body and still getting on stage and performing in immense pain, taking Panadol and Nurofen, but really not even touching the sides," she said. Trying to stay positive Despite living with pelvic pain for her entire adult life, Ms Moss hopes for a better future. "I try to be as positive as possible and knowing that maybe one day I will get my rainbow baby and things will be better," she said. "But I think as a society, we need to talk about it more." The country singer said she also thought there should be more financial support for affected women in Australia. "In a cost-of-living crisis, it is going to get harder," Ms Moss said. 'Pain is real' Endometriosis Australia general manager Victoria Bowring said although pain varied among those living with the disease, it could be all-encompassing. "Endometriosis pain can be severe and, for some women, debilitating," she said. According to the advocate, pelvic pain, fatigue, pain during or after sex, and bowel or bladder symptoms can make everyday activities more difficult. "Persistent pelvic pain can affect much more than physical comfort. It can disrupt sleep, concentration, movement, intimacy and social participation, and contribute to fatigue and changes in mood," Ms Bowring said. "Endometriosis can also affect employment and financial security, with out-of-pocket healthcare costs and the time and effort involved in accessing care adding further pressure. "Pain is real, and care needs to consider the whole person." 'Dire need of more research' Dr Watson said "we are in dire need of more research" into endometriosis. "Further research is really trying to get to the bottom of what drives the condition, what genetic predisposition some people have and what other factors, lifestyle or immune system or neurological factors, so other medical features of a person's biology, that could contribute to the snowstorm that can contribute to endometriosis developing," she said. At the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Dr Watson said the team treating women with pelvic pain provided support with dietary changes, ways to reduce inflammation and suppress menstruation, as well as offering surgical options. "We're really trying to focus on a holistic approach where we look at how is this affecting someone's bladder function, bowel function, mental health, their pelvic floor tone?" she said. Raising awareness Ms Moss hopes using her platform as a musician to speak out about the disease could make a difference. "I feel less alone when I see other women going through similar things," she said. "If I can share my story and I can encourage one woman or make one woman feel more seen or more heard, then I've done my job as a human being. "My advice is to trust your gut and trust your intuition."