Here’s what we know about endometriosis: It takes women with the condition a long, long time — we’re talking ten-ish years — to secure a diagnosis. The condition is horribly painful, yet our tendency to normalize and dismiss women’s pain leaves its sufferers in a constant state of invalidation. They’re routinely gaslit. And now, we have reason to wonder if people with endometriosis are, quite literally, fearing for their lives. People are Googling the phrase “is endometriosis deadly?” We don’t have any way of knowing exactly what leads women to that particular question, but we have...

Consider this your depressing stat of the day: Research shows that there is an average delay of almost seven years for people to get an endometriosis diagnosis. This delay significantly impacts a patient’s quality of life and can be incredibly expensive, as they might require lots of extra tests or interventions to address their pain and other symptoms.  There are a lot of reasons for that infuriating statistic. But one factor that can complicate things for endometriosis sufferers is the fact that the condition shares a lot of symptoms with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). What’s more,...

Let’s be real — periods are a pain.  Every month, 1.8 billion people across the world menstruate. More than half of people who menstruate have at least some pain for 1 to 2 days each month. However, “dysmenorrhea”, the medical term for painful periods or severe menstrual cramps, is not a phrase many people are familiar with or taught about.  What is Dysmenorrhea? “Dysmenorrhea” is the medical term used for cramping, and aching pains in your abdomen experienced during your period. Primarily, the cramps you feel are likely caused by uterine contractions. During your menstrual period, the uterine...

Bindi Irwin recently shared new details about her road to being diagnosed with endometriosis — and her story will likely resonate hard with the many women who have experienced medical gaslighting. This isn’t the first time Irwin has opened up about living with endometriosis. In an Instagram post shared a few months ago, she shared that she lived with debilitating symptoms of the condition for 10 years. During that time, Irwin went through countless doctor’s appointments, scans, and tests before she was finally diagnosed. Bindi Irwin's endometriosis experience is a frustratingly common one Many, many women...

One of the big things that can make failed implantation even harder to process is not knowing why it failed.  Dr. Bruce Lessey, the foremost expert on BCL6, is a Reproductive Endocrinologist, Infertility Specialist, and Professor at Wake Forest Baptist Health in North Carolina. He notes that the reasons for failed implantation during IVF can range from lifestyle (think smoking or obesity) to systemic (PCOS-related) to issues with the endometrium (or the uterine lining). While many common reasons exist for failed IVF cycles, we wanted to dive deeper into the connection between endometriosis and failed implantation. ...

When I was fifteen, I began having stabbing pains in my lower abdomen — sometimes on my right side, sometimes on my left, and sometimes right in the middle. They were so intense that I would break into a cold sweat. If I were walking, I would double over like I was punched in the gut. My mom, who had her appendix removed as a young girl, had me perform all the old wives’ “tricks” to test for appendicitis: Hop on one leg, draw my knees in, and, eventually, wait it out. As time passed, the...

In many ways, endometriosis is one of the most mysterious conditions in the world of women’s health. Between its notorious underdiagnosis (not-so-fun fact: Endometriosis is referred to as “the missed disease” due to the challenges of diagnosing the condition) and our lack of societal conversation around endometriosis, there’s not enough understanding of the condition. Few people realize what endometriosis is, the warning signs of the condition, and how exactly endometriosis affects the approximately 1 in 10 women who suffer from it. For example, while people generally have some awareness of the fact that endometriosis can complicate...

As if our bodies couldn't get any more confusing and stress-inducing, sometimes, seemingly out of nowhere, we're thrown a curve ball in the form of an ovarian cyst. Ovarian cysts are annoying and sneaky little things — some women experience no symptoms at all, while others have warning signs in the form of back or pelvic pain. While the idea of an ovarian cyst may seem scary, especially if you're trying to conceive, figuring out whether you have one in the first place and whether or not it's affecting your fertility can make you feel even more...

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis are both conditions that affect women of reproductive age. While it is possible to get pregnant with either diagnosis, both conditions can impact fertility — in addition to the person’s quality of life.  We spoke with Dr. Shahab Minassian of Main Line Fertility, a renowned expert in the relationship between infertility and PCOS, to help us delve into this topic and unpack what each diagnosis ultimately means for women and their fertility.  What's the difference between PCOS and endometriosis? The simplest explanation: PCOS is a metabolic disorder, and endometriosis is...

Many women are familiar with or have heard of endometriosis and the painful, heavy periods and pelvic discomfort that may come with it. Adenomyosis is a disease that causes similar symptoms, which is why it can be misdiagnosed as other conditions, such as fibroids or endometriosis. It is, however, its own condition.  With the help of Dr. Jessica Bauer of IVF MD, in this article we will walk you through what adenomyosis is, the signs and symptoms to look out for, how it differs from another, more common gynecological condition, and what options there are...