A chance encounter at her serving job led to a life-changing medical discovery for 42-year-old Dawn Jemison, who had planned a hysterectomy after decades of painful periods, heavy bleeding, and failed treatments. While serving wine at a Medtronic presentation, she heard symptoms matching her own and learned about pelvic venous disorder—a condition that had gone undiagnosed despite dozens of previous ultrasounds.
Decades of Misdiagnosis
Jemison had suffered from severe ovarian cysts on her left ovary and fibroids in her uterus, receiving multiple procedures including dilation and curettage, blood and iron transfusions, cervical polyp removal, and other interventions. After each surgery, her pain would reduce briefly, then return worse than before. Doctors focused on symptom control rather than identifying an underlying cause. At one point, she was told by two different doctors to “just have a baby,” a suggestion she found deeply invalidating. She eventually stopped seeking medical care, exhausted by hitting dead ends.
Discovery and Treatment
Pelvic venous disorder, affecting roughly 3 million women in the United States, is notoriously underdiagnosed. Symptoms include dull, achy, or heavy pelvic pain, most commonly on the left side. After learning about the condition, Jemison booked an appointment with Dr. Abigail Qin-Nelson, an interventional cardiologist. Using a venogram—an X-ray procedure with contrast dye—doctors discovered blockages preventing blood flow. She canceled her hysterectomy and underwent a stent procedure in February 2025 to physically open her veins, followed by a second procedure in March 2025 to cauterize extra veins and place coils. As of April 2026, she reported it was the longest time she had gone without pain.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2026/04/24/pelvic-venous-disorder-women-misdiagnosis-explained/89750046007/