Your body is fully yours, so you need to take control of it. This is why it is essential to raise awareness—especially among young girls—about the condition known as endometriosis. Endometriosis arises when the endometrium, the inner lining of the uterus, is misplaced and grows outside the uterus. Each month, the breakdown of this tissue and the resulting inflammation can cause scar tissue to form, making internal organs stick together. This leads to chronic pelvic pain in reproductive‑aged women and a range of other symptoms.
March is Endometriosis Awareness Month worldwide. In Nigeria, the Endometriosis Support Group Nigeria has been campaigning against the disease consistently since 2005. Over the years, more and more people—particularly young women and married ladies—have taken a genuine interest in endometriosis. Continuous education is necessary because doctors often miss the diagnosis; sometimes all that is needed is for a patient to ask whether it is possible they have the condition. A simple question can help the doctor piece together the puzzle.
Endometriosis disrupts the lives of affected women and can even threaten their marriages. Empowering women with knowledge about this menace is crucial. Raising awareness among young ladies means that, if they—or a friend or relative—experience symptoms, they will be better prepared to seek help. Knowledge is not a wish; it is a reality that can only work to your advantage. Fortunately, awareness has improved year after year.
Not everyone with endometriosis experiences pain or obvious symptoms. Diagnosis is most commonly made through laparoscopy, pelvic examination, abdominal surgery, or after a medication trial when trying to conceive. Common symptoms include pain before, during, and after menstruation; a family history of endometriosis or pelvic pain; and frequent, persistent sharp or dull pelvic pain. Other signs are pain during intercourse, bowel movements, or urination, bladder pain, and generalized abdominal discomfort. When the condition is not diagnosed promptly, complications such as infertility often follow.
Although endometriosis affects about 10 % of women annually, the World Health Organization reports that women aged 30 to 40 and up to half of those diagnosed struggle with pregnancy. Inflammation associated with the disease can impair fertilisation, affect sperm and egg function, or obstruct their passage through the fallopian tubes and uterus. In severe cases, scar tissue may completely block the tubes. Surgery can remove scar tissue or large endometrial cysts, while treatments such as ovulation induction, intrauterine insemination (IUI), and in‑vitro fertilisation (IVF) can help achieve pregnancy. When tubal damage or blockage is present, IVF is the gold standard.
Even though endometriosis can cause pain and make conception more difficult, most women with the condition are still able to conceive and have children. Proper treatment and support are essential; if left untreated, the disease can lead to further fertility challenges, chronic pain, and a reduced quality of life. The good news is that pregnancy is possible despite endometriosis, and affected women can enjoy healthy pregnancies and relationships, although the path may not be straightforward.
The bottom line is awareness creation. Millions of women and girls in Nigeria and around the world have endometriosis, often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. If you are among those who suffer from this painful disease, know that you are not alone. Help is available, and despite a difficult journey, you can achieve a better quality of life and, if desired, successfully conceive.
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