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Girls star Lena Dunham made headlines earlier this month when she revealed she underwent a hysterectomy after struggling with crippling endometriosis pain for more than a decade.
The brave 31-year-old wrote in an essay for Vogue magazine that she elected to have her cervix and uterus removed after “years of complex surgeries measuring in the double digits” and alternative treatments, including yoga, acupuncture and massage therapy.
Prior to her devastating hysterectomy, Lena, who does not have children, had been hospitalised at least three times in less than a year for endometriosis.
The actress joins a long list of celebrities including Spice Girl Emma Bunton, Coronation Street’s Kate Ford and Hart of Dixie star Jamie King have also opened up about their struggles with endometriosis – in a bid to educate other women about the condition, and the effects it can have.
With Endometriosis Awareness Week taking place between March 3 - 9, Dr Victoria Walker, (circled) expert at the internationally leading fertility centre Institut Marques has provided some clarity on the topic.
She told the Irish Mirror: “Endometriosis is a common condition which affects 10% of women worldwide, and is prevalent in 30% to 50% of women who suffer from infertility.
“However, the cause of endometriosis is unknown and at present there is no definite cure. Despite the fact that it is such a common condition, there is often much confusion over what endometriosis actually is, the symptoms you should be looking out for, and how the condition can be managed.”
Here Dr Walker shares knowledge on the condition: her
Endometriosis is a medical condition which occurs when the tissue lining a woman’s uterus (called the endometrium) grows in other areas of the body – for example, the fallopian tubes, ovaries, or inside the tummy.
This extra endometrium tissue behaves in a similar way to the tissue that is found in the lining of the womb, by mimicking the menstrual process. Each month these cells build up, before breaking down and bleeding. But, unlike a period which is discharged through the vagina, this blood has no way to escape.
Endometriosis mainly affects girls and women of childbearing age. It is a long-lasting condition, which can be debilitating and often painful. The exact cause of endometri- osis is still unknown. There are several theories within the medical world however, none of these are proven.
For example, many people believe that endometriosis has a genetic predisposition.
It is often diagnosed in sisters and daughters of women who have the condition – suggesting that it may be passed through the genes of female family members.
Another theory relating to the cause of endometriosis is “retrograde menstruation”.
This is where the womb lining doesn’t leave the body properly during a period, and therefore embeds itself on the organs surrounding the pelvis.
Other factors suggested to cause endometriosis include: