Endometriosis Endometriosis is a disorder where the tissue that lines the uterus basically grows out of control . It usually develops in women between the ages of 20 and 29, and it can cause major problems. In women with endometriosis, tiny bits of this tissue get outside of the uterus and lodge themselves in other parts of the body - usually, the outer wall of the uterus, the ovaries, the rectum and the urinary tract. These renegade bits of tissue bleed and irritate surrounding organs, causing scarring in some places.
Endometriosis can be very painful.
It can cause infertility, but doesn't always. In fact, some women find that after they've become pregnant, their symptoms disappear. Sometimes a woman realizes she has the problem only when she tries to become pregnant and can't. Usually, the first sign is severe menstrual pain. Long, heavy menstrual periods.