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Endometriosis - Background information
What is it?
- Endometriosis is the presence of tissue resembling endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity, which induces a chronic inflammatory reaction [RCOG, 2006]. It is often associated with dysmenorrhoea, pelvic pain, and subfertility.
- Most deposits occur in the pelvis (such as on the peritoneum, uterosacral ligaments, pouch of Douglas, rectovaginal septum, and ovaries). Extrapelvic deposits, such as on the pleura, are rare [Drife and Magowan, 2004b]. Occasionally, endometriosis develops in surgical scars after Caesarean section.
- This ectopic tissue responds to the hormonal changes of the menstrual cycle, with subsequent bleeding, inflammation, and pain. If the ovaries are affected, endometriotic ovarian cysts (endometriomas) may develop.
- Subfertility may be due to distortion of pelvic anatomy by adhesions and cysts or disturbance of reproductive processes such as folliculogenesis [Grace and Taylor, 2004].
- There is poor correlation between symptoms and the extent of the disease [Drife and Magowan, 2004a].
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