What is endometriosis in women?

Endometriosis refers the growth of the endometrial tissue (the inner layer of the uterus) outside the uterine cavity. The implanted endometrium continues its function outside the uterus, and in each menstrual period, the tissue becomes thick and bleeds.

Where is the most common site for development of endometriosis?

 The pelvis is the most common site for implantation of the uterine endometrium. Although the endometrial tissue can be found in all body tissues, except the spleen, the most common site is the pelvis, where the ovaries are more likely to be implanted with endometriosis.

What are the symptoms of endometriosis?

The most common symptom of endometriosis is pain.

Pelvic pain often accompanied by menstrual period. This pain worsens over time.

Painful menstrual period (dysmenorrhea)

Pain during or after sexual contact (Dyspareunia)

Pain during defecation and urination: This pain may exist during the menstrual period.

Menorrhagia: You may have excessive bleeding during your menstruation or have bleeding between two menstruation periods.

Infertility in some women

Other symptoms include fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, or nausea that may occur during the menstrual period. The severity of pain is not always a definite sign for this disease. Some women have severe pain, while others have little or no pain. Endometriosis is sometimes misdiagnosed as other diseases, such as pelvic inflammatory diseases, ovarian cysts, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

What are the causes of endometriosis?

The exact cause of this disease is still unknown, but there are some theories about this disease, such as:

The return of menstrual blood through the fallopian tubes to the abdominal cavity

Conversion of other body cells to endometrial cells

Transmission of endometrial cells by the lymphatic and vascular system

In recent years, environmental factors, contaminants, and genetic causes are considered the main causes of this disease.

What is the treatment of endometriosis?

Treatment of this disease is selected by the physician and the treatment team according to the patient’s age, disease severity and type, duration of symptoms, and the organs involved. Analgesics are considered the first step of treatment. In case of patient’s positive history of infertility, assisted reproductive techniques are considered for her. Definitive diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis is by laparoscopy, during which the surgeon can separate endometriosis lesions from organs with a precision of twenty times the human eye. This is considered the golden standard treatment for endometriosis. If the necessary measures are not taken at the right time, the disease may progress, expand and deepen, making treatment more difficult. Pregnancy in women with endometriosis is more difficult than others.

What are the complications of endometriosis?

Infertility: A common complication of endometriosis is women infertility.

.Ovarian cancer: Women with endometriosis are more likely to develop ovarian cancer.