Endometriosis is a chronic medical condition that can lead to severe pain and infertility. It occurs when tissue which lines the inside of uterus grows outside the uterus, in places where it is not supposed to grow, usually on the surfaces of organs in the pelvic and abdominal areas. While endometriosis is more common in women in their 20s and 30s, it can affect women at any time during their childbearing years. It is estimated that 5.5 million women in North America alone are affected by endometriosis.
While no one knows for sure what causes endometriosis, some believe that genetics or a faulty immune system can be factor in the diagnosis. In some cases, during a woman’s monthly cycle, some of the endometrial tissue backs up into the abdomen through the fallopian tubes. This transplanted tissue then grows outside the uterus.
Several treatment options exist for endometriosis including a pain medication if the pain is mild and hormone therapy if pain is minimal and the affected areas are small. Surgery is an option when the pain is severe or the endometriosis has caused extensive damage. Unfortunately, there is no cure for endometriosis, however, in some cases the symptoms lessen after menopause because the growths gradually get smaller.
Fast Facts:
• March is Endometriosis Awareness Month
• Endometriosis is one of the top three causes of infertility
Endometriosis FAQs
Recent Events
November 2011
An estimated 176 million women and girls’ worldwide (7.5 million women in the United States) are affected by endometriosis - the most common cause of pelvic pain and infertility in women. Despite this fact, the average diagnostic delay is seven years, and recent studies suggest annual costs in excess of $70 billion in the U.S. alone. Women In Government’s Second Annual Healthcare Summit featured two speakers to discuss the impact of endometriosis on Women’s Health.
Lone Hummelshøj, a well-known an advocate in the field of endometriosis, in particular for her work in getting the disease recognized in the European Parliament and European Commission spoke about the disease and her work. She was instrumental in the implementation of the first ever national legislation which provides referral guidelines to specialist centers for the treatment of endometriosis in Denmark. Seven years ago she created the website endometriosis.org, which is now the largest global online resource for news and information in the field of endometriosis. To learn more about her work and endometriosis, please access her additional materials here and here.
The second speaker, Heather Guidone, the Director of Education at the Endometriosis Foundation of America (EFA), spoke about her experience as a Stage IV endometriosis and infertility survivor herself, and how her personal passion drives her efforts to improve the lives of those affected. At the EFA she is responsible for oversight of the EFA's education, scientific, and research endeavors. She also holds the senior voting seat on the Executive Board of Directors of the Endometriosis Research Center (ERC) and is currently serving a two-year elected term on the Executive Board of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s (ASRM) Women’s Council.
Additional Resources:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – National Women’s Health Information Center
National Institute of Health National Child Health and Human Development
National Women’s Health Resource Center Publications and Resources
National Institutes of Health – National Library of Medicine – Medline Plus
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Endometriosis Association
Endometriosis Research Center
Endometriosis.org
Endo Facts
