Health Topic

Endometriosis

Endometriosis happens when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in other places in the body. Symptoms include pain, heavy bleeding during your period and infertility. There is no cure but there are treatments for symptoms.

Reviewed Reviewed by a registered pharmacistGeneral information

Also called: Endo

Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About Endometriosis

The uterus, or womb, is the place where a fetus grows during pregnancy. The uterus is lined with tissue (endometrium). Endometriosis is a disease in which tissue like the lining of the uterus grows in other places in your body. These patches of tissue are called "implants," "nodules," or "lesions." They are most often found:

  • On or under the ovaries
  • On the fallopian tubes, which carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus
  • Behind the uterus
  • On the tissues that hold the uterus in place
  • On the bowels or bladder

In rare cases, the tissue may grow on your lungs or in other parts of your body.

Researchers don't know what causes endometriosis.

Endometriosis can affect anyone who menstruates. Certain factors can raise or lower your risk of getting it.

You are at higher risk if:

  • You have a mother, sister, or daughter with endometriosis
  • Your period started before age 11
  • Your monthly cycles are short (less than 27 days)
  • Your menstrual cycles are heavy and last more than 7 days

You have a lower risk if:

  • You have been pregnant before
  • Your periods started late in adolescence
  • You breastfeed your babies

The main symptoms of endometriosis are:

  • Pelvic pain, which often happens during your period
  • Infertility

Other possible symptoms include:

  • Painful menstrual cramps, which may get worse over time
  • Pain during or after sex
  • Pain in the intestine or lower abdomen
  • Pain with bowel movements (pooping) or urination (peeing), usually during your period
  • Heavy periods
  • Spotting or bleeding between periods
  • Digestive or gastrointestinal symptoms
  • Fatigue or lack of energy

Surgery is the only way to know for sure that you have endometriosis. First, however, your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and medical history. You will have a pelvic exam and may have some imaging tests.

The most common surgery to diagnose endometriosis is a laparoscopy. This is a type of surgery that uses a laparoscope, a thin tube with a camera and light. The surgeon inserts the laparoscope through a small cut in the skin near your belly button. Your provider can make a diagnosis based on how the patches of endometriosis look. They may also do a biopsy to get a tissue sample.

There is no cure for endometriosis, but there are treatments for the symptoms. Your provider will work with you to decide which treatments would be best for you.

Treatments for endometriosis pain include:

  • Pain relievers, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen and a prescription medicine specifically for endometriosis. Providers may sometimes prescribe opioids for severe pain.
  • Hormone therapy, which stops the ovaries from making hormones. This may slow the growth of the endometrial tissue and may stop new areas from growing. Types of hormone therapy include: Birth control pills.
  • Progestin therapy.
  • Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) medicines (GnRH agonists and antagonists). These medicines cause a temporary menopause. After your stop taking the medicines, your menstrual periods will start again, and pregnancy is possible.

Treatments for infertility caused by endometriosis include:

  • Laparoscopy to remove the endometriosis patches
  • In vitro fertilization

It sits within Women and Female Reproductive System.

The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on Endometriosis

931 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

Start Here

  • EndometriosisMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
  • EndometriosisDepartment of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health

Symptoms

Diagnosis and Tests

Treatments and Therapies

Prevention and Risk Factors

Related Issues

Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Endometriosis. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Endometriosis, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.