Endometriosis is a painful, chronic disease that affects millions of women and girls worldwide. It occurs when tissue that lines the uterus, called endometrium, is found outside the uterus, usually in the abdomen or ovaries, fallopian tubes, in the ligaments supporting the reproductive organs, and in the pelvic cavity. It can also sometimes be found in the bladder, bowels, vagina, cervix, vulva, and in abdominal surgical scars. Rarely but occasionally it can be found in the lung, arm, thigh and other locations.
The misplaced tissue and lesions behave the same way outside the uterus as it would in the lining of a normal uterus during the menstrual cycle, meaning that the tissue builds up, breaks down and sheds. In the normal menstrual cycle this blood and tissue flows outside the body through the vagina, but with endometriosis, the tissue outside the uterus has no way of leaving the body. This results in internal bleeding, tissue breakdown from the lesions, and inflammation. The result can lead to pain, infertility, scar tissue formation, adhesions and bowel problems.
Although the exact cause of endometriosis is unknown, there are theories and possible explanations in the medical community. Some of these are: Retrograde
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Risk factors include: never giving birth, one or more relatives with endometriosis, any medical condition that prevents the normal flow of menstrual fluids out of the body, history of pelvic infection, and uterine abnormalities. The main complications of endometriosis are infertility and ovarian cancer. Around one-third to one-half of women with endometriosis have trouble with becoming pregnant. Ovarian cancer occurs at a higher than expected rate in women with endometriosis, but the overall lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is low to begin with. A rare type of cancer called endometriosis-associated adenocarcinoma can develop later in life in women who have had