chronic

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a disease in which similar to the endometrium—the lining of the (womb)—grows elsewhere in the body. The tissue most often grows close to the uterus, such as on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or the lining of the . It can also appear on the bowel, , and in some cases on the lungs or skin. Worldwide, endometriosis affects approximately 10% of the female population of reproductive age, representing nearly 200 million women. Symptoms typically start in adolescence or the early 20s and tend to improve after menopause as estrogen levels go down.

Underlined words are explained — tap any of them.

Symptoms — what it feels like

· pain, , painful periods

Causes — why it happens

·Unknown

Treatment

·, continuous birth control pills, hormonal IUD (coil),

More in Reproductive (F)

Polycystic ovary syndrome Breast cancer Cervical cancer Ovarian cancer Uterine fibroids Pre-eclampsia Pelvic inflammatory disease Menopause Bacterial vaginosis Ectopic pregnancy Vaginal yeast infection Painful periods (dysmenorrhea)

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Plain-language summary adapted from Wikipedia. Not medical advice.