What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a common and chronic gynecological and immunological disease that
can result in pelvic pain. About 2-4% of women and girls of reproductive age and up to 30%
of women with infertility have endometriosis. That amounts to approximately 5.5 million women
in the United States and Canada.
The disease occurs when endometrial cells (the cells that line the inside of the uterus)
develop outside of their normal location inside the uterus. The misplaced endometrial cells
respond to the menstrual cycle in the same way as those lining the uterus. The tissue grows
and sheds blood at the time of menses. However, instead of flowing out of body through the
vagina, the blood shed by the misplaced cells has no way of leaving the body. The resulting
internal bleeding can lead to chronic inflammation and the formation of adhesions and scar tissue.
Location of Endometriosis
Areas commonly affected by endometriosis include the ovaries, fallopian tubes, the
ligaments that support the uterus, the area between the vagina and rectum (cul-de-sac),
the outer surface of the uterus and the lining of the pelvic cavity. Endometrial lesions
can also be found in the bladder, bowel, vagina, cervix and vulva. More rarely the lung
and other body tissues can be affected.
The frequency that endometriosis is found to occur in the pelvic area is:
- Cul-de-sac - 72%
- Uterosacral ligaments - 41% right and 45% left
- Broad ligaments - 43% right and 52% left
- Uterus - 16%
- Ovaries - 17% right and 17% left
- Fallopian tubes 7% right and 9% left
- Bladder - 33%
- Sigmoid colon - 18%
