Endometriosis: Difination, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Context: 

Consulting firm McKinsey has recently published a report that sheds light on the women’s health gap issue. 

Key Findings of the McKinsey Report

• Women’s Health Gap Impact: McKinsey’s report shows that neglecting women’s health leads to 75 million years lost annually due to illness or early death, which is equal to seven days per woman each year.
• Economic Benefits of Closing the Gap: Addressing women’s health disparities could boost the global economy by $1 trillion yearly by 2040.
  • It shows a positive correlation between women’s health and economic prosperity.
• Women’s Health Challenges: Women bear a heavier burden of poor health and disability. Due to poor health, women have to spend an average of nine years in ill health. 
• • This dramatically affects their well-being, productivity, and earning potential. 

About Endometriosis

• Endometriosis is a painful chronic disease. 
• This disease occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, like fallopian tubes, ovaries, intestine and within your pelvic cavity. 
  • The endometrium is the inner lining of the uterus. 
    • This tissue is what women shed during a menstrual period.
• Inflammation and scar tissue: Endometriosis  can cause inflammation and form scar tissue in the pelvic area. 
• Starting of Endometriosis: It can begin when the first period starts and continue until they reach menopause.

Causes

The exact cause is not known, but endometriosis is thought to arise due to:

• Retrograde Menstruation:

  • Flow of blow backwards: Menstrual blood containing endometrial cells flows backwards through the fallopian tubes into the pelvic cavity during periods.
  • Endometrial cells may implant and grow outside the uterus.

• Cellular Metaplasia:

• • Endometrial-like cells: Cells outside the uterus change into endometrial-like cells and proliferate.
    • This transformation leads to the growth of endometriosis in ectopic locations.

• Stem Cells:

  • Stem cells are believed to initiate the development of endometriosis.
  • The disease spreads throughout the body via blood and lymphatic vessels.

• Estrogen Dependence:

  • Estrogen levels influence endometriosis.
  • Impact of High estrogen: Higher estrogen levels can increase inflammation, growth, and pain.  

Treatment

• Treatments for endometriosis depend on symptom severity. No treatment currently offers a cure for the disease. 
  • Scotland’s trials: Recent reports from Scotland’s trials have shown the possibility of women soon having access to the first effective drug for endometriosis.

News Source: The Hindu

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