Endometriosis is a problem affecting a woman’s uterus—the place where a baby grows when a woman is pregnant. Endometriosis is when the kind of tissue that normally lines the uterus grows somewhere else. It can grow on the ovaries, behind the uterus, on the bowels, or on the bladder. It rarely grows in other parts of the body. The cause of endometriosis is not known.
This “misplaced” tissue can cause pain, infertility, and very heavy periods. The pain is usually in the abdomen, lower back, or pelvic areas. Some women have no symptoms at all and having trouble getting pregnant may be the first sign they have endometriosis.
Surgery, usually a laparoscopy, is currently the only way to be sure that you have endometriosis. Your health care provider will first take your medical history, do a pelvic exam, and maybe do imaging tests.
There is no cure for endometriosis but treatments including pain medicines, hormone therapy and surgery, help with pain and infertility. Contact your primary health care physician for routine exams of your reproductive system for early detection of endometriosis and other issues.
