Endometriosis is a common and often painful condition.  It is thought to affect approximately 10 per cent of women (one in 10) at some stage during their menstruating years. It can occur anytime, from when periods start, right up to the time of menopause.

Definition

Endometriosis occurs when the tissue that normally lines the uterus (the endometrium) is found in sites outside the uterus. The misplaced tissue implants itself onto the surface of the tissue or organ where it has been deposited and begins to grow and function.

Symptoms can include:

 Fact Sheet

A concise, easy-to-understand endometriosis fact sheet is available here  Endometriosis Fact Sheet 95.49 Kb

 Endometriosis (4 MB)

More Fact Sheets are available from the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health covering a wide range of women's health topics.

Media Release

2009 Mar 3 - Endometriosis in the ovaries doubles the risk of premature birth

Ahead of endometriosis awareness week, new Australian research shows that having ovarian endometriosis doubles the risk of premature birth in women who have used assisted reproductive technologies.

The comparative study of over 6,000 births, led by Professor David Healy, Director of the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health and Chairman of the Monash University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, found that women who had used assisted reproductive technologies to conceive, and who had ovarian endometriosis, are twice as likely to have a premature birth.

Further research is needed to determine the clinical benefit of removing the ovarian endometriosis prior to using any assisted reproductive technologies and to address the gaps in our understanding of the chain of events leading from ovarian endometriosis to premature birth.

For the full media release see The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health Media 

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Content Updated November 26, 2009