DID YOU KNOW?

Endometriosis is now being recognized as one of the most potentially excruciating & destructive medical conditions on record, which affects an estimated 1 in 10 women around the world. That´s about as prevalent as diabetes in women and works out to approximately 200 million worldwide. Among women with minimal/mild endometriosis, approximately 50% will be able to conceive without treatment, whereas in women with moderate disease, only 25% will conceive spontaneously, and few spontaneous conceptions occur in the case of severe disease(1). Although many theories exist as to the development of endometriosis, the most generally accepted one is that it may be initiated by retrograde menstrual flux through the Fallopian tubes. Epithelial progenitor cells derived from the shedding of endometrial tissue can implant on the peritoneum, ovaries, or in the rectovaginal pouch. Once established, these hormone-responsive and cyclically active endometriotic lesions drive acute then chronic inflammatory reactions, and lead to pelvic adhesions, pain, and infertility. Individual susceptibility to endometriosis, however, is influenced by genetic, anatomical, endocrine, and environmental factors (1).