Endometriosis Research Paper

Endometriosis is a painful, chronic disease that affects millions of women and girls worldwide. It occurs when tissue that lines the uterus, called endometrium, is found outside the uterus, usually in the abdomen or ovaries, fallopian tubes, in the ligaments supporting the reproductive organs, and in the pelvic cavity. It can also sometimes be found in the bladder, bowels, vagina, cervix, vulva, and in abdominal surgical scars. Rarely but occasionally it can be found in the lung, arm, thigh and other locations.
The misplaced tissue and lesions behave the same way outside the uterus as it would in the lining of a normal uterus during the menstrual cycle, meaning that the tissue builds up, breaks down and sheds. In the normal menstrual …show more content…
Some of these are: Retrograde menstruation, Embryonic cell growth, Surgical scar implantation, Endometrial cell transport, and Immune system disorder. Retrograde menstruation is when menstrual blood containing endometrial cells flows back through the fallopian tubes and into the pelvic cavity rather than out of the body. These cells stick to areas outside the uterus and cause symptoms. Embryonic cell growth is when cells that line the abdominal and pelvic cavity come from embryonic cells, and when one or more small areas of the abdominal lining turn into endometrial tissue, then endometriosis can develop. Surgical scar implantation can occur after a C-section or hysterectomy and endometrial cells attach to the surgical incision. Endometrial cell transport is when the blood vessels or lymphatic system transport endometrial cells to other parts of the body. Immune system disorder is another theory for endometriosis and occurs when there is a problem with the immune system that makes the body unable to recognize and destroy endometrial tissue growing outside the …show more content…
Risk factors include: never giving birth, one or more relatives with endometriosis, any medical condition that prevents the normal flow of menstrual fluids out of the body, history of pelvic infection, and uterine abnormalities. The main complications of endometriosis are infertility and ovarian cancer. Approximately one-third to one-half of women with endometriosis have difficulty getting pregnant. Ovarian cancer occurs at a higher than expected rate in women with endometriosis, but the overall lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is low to begin with. A rare type of cancer called endometriosis-associated adenocarcinoma can develop later in life in women who have had