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Endometriosis (from endo, “inside”, and metra, “womb”) is a common medical condition in women in which endometrial cells are deposited in areas outside the uterine cavity. The uterine cavity is lined by endometrial cells, which are under the influence of female hormones. Endometrial cells deposited in areas outside the uterus (endometriosis) continue to be influenced by these hormonal changes and respond similarly as do those cells found inside the uterus. Symptoms often exacerbate in time with the menstrual cycle.
Endometriosis is typically seen during the reproductive years; it has been estimated that it occurs in roughly 5% to 10% of women.[1] Symptoms depend on the site of implantation. Its main but not universal symptom is pelvic pain in various manifestations. Endometriosis is a common finding in women with infertility.
A major symptom of endometriosis is severe recurring pelvic pain. The amount of pain a woman feels is not necessarily related to the extent or stage (1 through 4) of endometriosis. Some women will have little or no pain despite having extensive endometriosis affecting large areas or having endometriosis with scarring. On the other hand, women may have severe pain even though they have only a few small areas of endometriosis. Symptoms of endometriosic-related pain may include:
Many women with infertility have endometriosis. As endometriosis can lead to anatomical distorsions and adhesions, the causality may be easy to understand; however, the link between infertility and endometriosis remains enigmatic when the extent of endometriosis is limited.[2] It has been suggested that endometriotic lesions release factors which are detrimental to gametes or embryos, or, alternatively, endometriosis may more likely develop in women who fail to conceive for other reasons and thus be a secondary phenomenon; for this reason it is preferable to speak of endometriosis-associated infertility[3] in such cases.
Other symptoms may be present, including:
In addition, women who are diagnosed with endometriosis may have gastrointestinal symptoms that may mimic irritable bowel syndrome.
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