Anna Peris , PharmD. - Stadtlanders' Fertility Specialist Endometriosis is a fairly common condition affecting the reproductive health of more than a quarter of all women suffering from infertility. The incidence is higher in first degree relatives of women with endometriosis, which suggests that heredity may play a role. In addition, there is also a higher prevalence of the disease in women who delay childbearing or who are of Asian descent. Ectopic implants may be found on the outside of the uterus, inside and outside the ovaries , fallopian tubes , bowel, urinary tract, or anywhere in the abdomen.
Ectopic tissue responds to hormonal stimulation, just like the endometrium in the uterus.
This ectopic tissue accumulation, growth, and eventual death leads to inflammation, scarring and adhesions that ultimately cause the symptoms and complications of endometriosis. The cause of endometriosis is unknown, however there are several theories. The first theory is known as retrograde menstruation, or the movement of sloughed endometrial tissue back through the fallopian tubes and into the abdominal cavity. This tissue can then attach itself to various internal organs or tissues outside of the uterus. Retrograde menstruation can occur in women with and without endometriosis, but it is thought that women with the disease have a deficiency in their immune system which is unable to destroy the ectopic implant.