Disclaimer: Midwifery is a very inclusive and safe space for everyone, where your identity and your needs are valid and important to us. Thus, the terms used in this article aim towards making everyone feel comfortable and included.
Uterus owner (person with a uterus, uterus having person) <--> person with female genitalia
[if you feel that you are not included at any point, please contact us and help us change that]
© NIKOLETA CHATZIPANAGIOTIDOU, SOME RIGHTS RESERVED 01/05/2021
What is endometriosis?
According to NHS, Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. During a normal menstrual cycle, this tissue builds up and is shed if a pregnancy doesn't occur. When diagnosed with endometriosis, this misplaced tissue responds to the hormonal changes of the menstrual cycle by building up and breaking down just as the endometrium does, resulting in small bleeding inside of the pelvis.
If this tissue exists around an ovary, then blood can get in the normal ovarian tissue, forming a "blood blister" surrounded by a fibrous cyst, called an "endometrioma". (Johns Hopkins Medicine)
A staging, or classification, system for endometriosis has been developed by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. The stages are classified as follows:
Stage 1: Minimal
Stage 2: Mild
Stage 3: Moderate
Stage 4: Severe
The stage of endometriosis is based on the location, amount, depth and size of the endometrial tissue.
It can affect uterus owners of any age and it's a long-term condition that can have a significant impact on your life. However, there are treatments that can help.
Symptoms
Pain (most common symptom)*
- pelvic or lower abdominal pain
- pain with menses (dysmenorrhea)
- pain with intercourse (dyspareunia)
- pain during bowel movements (dyschezia).
2. Infertility or difficulty getting pregnant
3. Bloating
4. Constipation
5. Blood in the urine and/or pain with urination)
6. Possibly abnormal vaginal bleeding.
7. Feelings like depression due to the way that endometriosis affects their life
*This pain can be constant or it can get worse before and during menstruation and improve just after ("cyclical").
Treatments for endometriosis
“Watchful waiting” to observe the course of the disease
painkillers – such as ibuprofen and paracetamol
hormone medicines and contraceptives – including the combined pill, the contraceptive patch, an intrauterine system (IUS), and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues
surgery to cut away patches of endometriosis tissue
an operation to remove part or all of the organs affected by endometriosis – such as surgery to remove the womb (hysterectomy) (NHS, 2019)
Conclusion
Endometriosis can seriously affect someone's life both physically and mentally. More research needs to be done on this condition in order to determine the causes of it and to find a cure for future generations! Thus, we have to inform people and to keep talking about endometriosis; constantly raising awareness. At the same time, we ought to educate people about endometriosis since a lot of them are still not aware of this condition and its results.
We really hope this article informed you and helped you with understanding this difficult topic. We strongly encourage you to contact us in whatever way suits you and discuss the article, suggest ideas for upcoming content, tell us your strong and emotional stories or for any other reason you would like.
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Co-Founder and Co-Writer
The “Being a Midwife” team
Reference list Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2019). Endometriosis. [online] Available at: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/endometriosis. NHS Choices (2019). Overview - Endometriosis. [online] NHS. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/endometriosis/. Uclahealth.org. (2019). Endometriosis: What is Endometriosis? Endometriosis Symptoms, Treatment, Diagnosis - UCLA. [online] Available at: https://www.uclahealth.org/obgyn/endometriosis.
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