What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is one of the leading causes of
pelvic pain, as well as one of primary reasons
women in this country have laparoscopic surgery
and hysterectomies.
Normally, the lining of your uterus, known as
the endometrium, builds up and sheds once a month
during your menstrual cycle. Sometimes, for reasons
not quite understood, the endometrium grows and
attaches in areas outside the uterus. This usually
painful condition, which can also lead to infertility,
is known as endometriosis.
Endometriosis can be found on the pelvis lining,
ovaries, outside of the uterus, rectum, colon
and bladder. It can also develop on the small
intestine, liver, spleen, lymph nodes, and, in
rare cases, other parts of the body such as the
lung.
When endometriosis affects the ovaries, a blood-filled
cyst called an endometrioma can develop. An endometrioma
is often referred to as a "chocolate cyst,"
because the blood in the cyst is dark in color
like chocolate. These cysts can vary in size from
a pea to larger than a grapefruit.
What does the endometrium do?
The uterus (also called the womb) is a hollow,
pear-shaped, muscular organ located in the center
of the pelvis. The inside wall of the uterus is
lined with a tissue called the endometrium, which
is made up of glands and blood vessels.
During the reproductive years, from adolescence
to menopause, the ovaries produce eggs, along
with the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Both
of these hormones signal the endometrium to thicken
in preparation for a fertilized egg. If an egg
is fertilized, it settles into the thickened endometrium
and continues to develop throughout the next 9
months. If the egg isn't fertilized, it passes
out of the body, along with part of the endometrium,
during the menstrual period.
Who gets endometriosis?
Endometriosis can strike any woman, regardless
of her age, race or childbearing status. Although
it's been found in girls as young as 11 years
of age, women are usually diagnosed with endometriosis,
on average, between the ages of 25 and 30. In
fact, as many as 15% of all women in their reproductive
years suffer from endometriosis. It affects 50%
of women who suffer from chronic pelvic pain or
infertility.
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