Are you a new patient interested in a video visit with one of our endometriosis experts? Easily book your video visit through UPMC Magee-Womens Virtual Care Center.
Schedule a new patient video visit.Doctors define Endometriosis as a benign (noncancerous) condition in which cells that line the uterus grow outside of the uterus in other areas of the pelvis or abdomen.
It can cause severe pelvic pain, especially during menstruation.
It can also affect fertility, making it hard for a woman to become pregnant.
Endometriosis occurs in reproductive age women. It appears to be more common in Caucasian and Asian women.
Other risk factors for endometriosis include:
If you think you're at risk for endometriosis or other gynecologic conditions, contact the Center for Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery at 412-641-6412 to make an appointment.
Pain is the main symptom of endometriosis, including:
Your doctor may suspect that you have endometriosis based on your symptoms and an exam. A trial treatment can confirm the diagnosis, if symptoms improve during treatment.
The only way your doctor will know for sure that you have endometriosis is to examine the inside of your abdomen or pelvic area — most often through a minimally invasive surgical procedure called laparoscopy.
If you have symptoms of endometriosis, contact the Center for Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery at 412-641-6412 to make an appointment.
Unlike fibroids or polyps, it is difficult for surgeons to remove endometriosis, so treatment options are limited.
Your doctor may prescribe the following treatments to control your symptoms:
Sometimes surgery is used, but may not "cure" the endometriosis, since it causes scar tissue in the abdomen. Types of surgery that are sometimes used include:
Hysterectomy requires the longest recovery time - up to six weeks. A laparoscopy may only require one week of recovery time, while ablation surgery may take two weeks to recover.
Each year, our center provides relief to thousands of women with common gynecologic conditions. Our experts bring the latest research findings and best practices to your care.
We offer the following resources on this and other health conditions:
To discuss endometriosis treatments or make an appointment, contact the Center for Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery at 412-641-6412.
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