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Endo...What????
© Jaime Ervi
Aug 28, 1998
A few weeks ago I went to see my reproductive endocrinologist
for an orientation class. In this class they went over all of
known causes of infertility and the treatments they have for them.
It really was a very informative class. One thing I noticed is some
of the causes doctors really don't know much about yet. One of those
causes was a disease known as endometriosis. There is very little fact
known about endometriosis at this time. There are several treatments and
theories about causes but no actual cures or concrete facts about causes.
This can be very frustrating for a woman who just wants a baby. How does she
fight something when she really isn't sure what it is! With the help of a friend
who is dealing with this very issue I went and researched the web for some information
on just what endometriosis is and what the theories are about the causes. I also stumbled across
a mailing list just for those dealing with this very thing. With the ingenious name of
Wits Endo, this mailing list is for women about to go
insane from dealing with pain and weird symptoms of endometriosis.
I know what your thinking. Ok fine but what exactly is endometriosis. Well, endometriosis is when the cells that make up the inside of the uterus
are found outside of the uterus. These cells that make up the inside of the uterus are called endometrial cells and are the same
cells that are shed during menstruation. In endometriosis these cells are found out side of the uterus and
attached to other tissue. Endometriosis is usually found on the fallopian tubes, ovaries,the outside lining of the uterus,
the intestines and the surface of the pelvic cavity. It has been found other places but these are the most common.
Like the cells found inside of the uterus these cells build up during your cycle and bleed during menstruation. But unlike
the cells inside the uterus they are not shed out of the body. This most likely is the cause of several of the symptoms patients suffer.
Endometriosis affects any where from 3 to 18 percent of women in the United States. An exact
number is hard to come by since a lot of cases are still unknown. It is normally diagnosed in women between
the ages of 25 and 30. But it has been found in girls as young as eleven. The symptoms are usually in the form of
pain before and during periods. This pain, though, far exceeds the normal menstrual cramps.
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The copyright of the article Endo...What???? in Infertility/Preconception is owned by Jaime Ervi. Permission to republish Endo...What???? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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