Women's HealthPending review

Endometriosis

Endometrial-like tissue implants outside the uterus and continues to respond to the ovarian cycle exactly as normal endometrium does, but with no way to shed and exit the body, so it bleeds internally each month and provokes chronic inflammation and fibrosis.

In a nutshell

Endometrial-like tissue implants outside the uterus, often via retrograde menstruation, and continues to respond to the ovarian cycle by proliferating and bleeding each month. With no way to shed, it triggers local inflammation, fibrosis and adhesions, explaining both the cyclical pain and the chronic anatomical distortion seen in longstanding disease.

Classic presentation

Cyclical pelvic pain worse around menstruation, deep dyspareunia and subfertility, with symptom severity not reliably matching disease extent.

Key points

Ectopic endometrial tissue still bleeds in response to the cycle, but has nowhere to drain: this is why the pain is classically cyclical.

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Educational content pending clinical review. Not medical advice.