Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a sickness that is caused by womb tissue that begins growing outside the womb.[1][2] Endometriosis tissue can be attached to the outer surface of the womb, Fallopian tubes, and the ovaries. Many women between 15 and 44 years-old may have this sickness. It is also found in women 30-40 years-old. If a woman has endometriosis, it can sometimes affect having a baby. Endometriosis can be treated by a doctor, but it cannot be cured. Treating endometriosis may help a woman get pregnant. Women with endometriosis may have painful sex, a feeling of bloating, belly pain, difficult urination and blood in the urine. A woman could have menstrual problems.[3] If endometriosis is on the ovaries, cysts may grow. These areas may develop scar tissue.[4] Some women have more of a risk of endometriosis than others. These are the risk factors: never giving birth, short menstrual cycles, starting periods at young age, having heavy menstrual periods longer than seven days, going through menopause in older age, and having a relative with endometriosis.[5]
A woman can have endometriosis for a long time. It can be very painful.[2] This sickness can be so painful that it affects many areas of life.[6] Endometriosis is hard to find in some women. To find endometriosis a doctor may do many medical tests. These tests may be a pelvic exam and an ultrasound.[3] When a woman has a pelvic exam the doctor will feel for lumps or scars. An ultrasound will help the doctor see endometriosis on the ovaries. The doctor may put a wand-shaped ultrasound probe into the vagina. An ultrasound scanner may be used on the abdomen. Another test may be used. It is called an MRI. The MRI takes a picture of the inside of the body to find endometriosis.[3]
A doctor may treat endometriosis with medicine. There are different kinds of medicine that treat endometriosis. Birth control medicine can help some women have less pain. Another kind of medicine is called Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists. If the pain is less after taking medicine then the doctor may decide that the woman has endometriosis. If the woman stops taking the medicine the pain may come back.[3]
Endometriosis is sometimes treated with surgery. This is called laparoscopic surgery. The doctor doing the surgery can look inside the body to find endometriosis tissue and remove it. The doctor may see endometriosis tissue during laparoscopy. A doctor may remove a sample and study it under the microscope to decide treatment.[3]
References
change- ↑ "Endometriosis". US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Endometriosis". The World Health Organiztion. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Endometriosis | Womenshealth.gov". womenshealth.gov. Retrieved 2018-08-26. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ↑ "Endometriosis - Symptoms and causes". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
- ↑ "Endometriosis - Symptoms and causes". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
- ↑ Bulletti, Carlo; Coccia, Maria Elisabetta; Battistoni, Silvia; Borini, Andrea (2010-06-25). "Endometriosis and infertility". Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics. 27 (8): 441–447. doi:10.1007/s10815-010-9436-1. ISSN 1058-0468. PMC 2941592. PMID 20574791.
