M.D. Endometriosis is one of the most common gynecological conditions in the United States. We don't know exactly how many American women suffer from this disease, but best estimates set the number at about 5 million. Women of all ages, races and backgrounds have been found to have endometriosis.
Recent information suggests that the disease is becoming more prevalent.
Some 2 million women had hysterectomies for pelvic pain related to endometriosis between 1965 and 1984. Over that time period, the number of hysterectomies performed per year for this condition doubled. The symptoms and problems related to endometriosis lead to the hospitalization of a substantial number of women every year. The tissue that lines the uterus and is shed during the menstrual period is called the endometrium. In some women, this same tissue can be found growing outside of the uterus, where it does not belong.