Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb, the endometrium, is also found in places outside the womb, the uterus. It can be found on the ligament supports of the uterus and nearby organs such as the ovaries, bladder and bowel. It can sometimes also be found in more distant organs, such as the lungs or navel. Endometriosis can appear as spots or patches called implants, or as cysts on the ovary. In mild cases of endometriosis, there may only be a few isolated implants, while in others the disease may be present throughout the pelvis.
Endometriosis irritates surrounding tissue and can produce web-like scar tissue known as adhesions.
The scar tissue can bind any of the pelvic organs to one another and in severe cases cover them completely. The disease can usually be treated with drugs or surgery. Generally endometriosis can only be diagnosed at operation and since some women are without symptoms we can only guess at the true number of women affected. It used to be thought that severe endometriosis was more common in women who had never had children. However, generalisations cannot be made since endometriosis can affect any woman, from teenagers up until the menopause.