March is National Endometriosis Awareness Month, and its purpose is to raise awareness about this painful yet treatable condition. Endometriosis is a disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus grows outside it.

For women with this disorder, the uterine tissue can be found in the fallopian tubes, the ovaries, or even in the intestines. This can cause severe pain and menstrual irregularities.

This condition is one of the most common health issues for women, and it is believed that it currently affects at least 11% of women in the United States. This means that almost 7 million American women currently have this disorder.

The History of National Endometriosis Awareness Month

This month was originally created by Mary Lou Ballweg and seven other women in 1993. It began not as a month-long observation but as a week-long one. Over time, this observation week eventually grew into Endometriosis Awareness Month.

Facts About Endometriosis

Before continuing, let’s take a few moments to learn more about endometriosis and its effects. We’ve listed the following facts to educate people about this inflammatory condition:

• Endometriosis affects 11% of women worldwide between the ages of 15 and 49 years. That’s 176 million women living with this condition.
• Endometriosis symptoms include pain during sexual intercourse, painful ovulation, painful periods, fatigue, and chronic pelvic pain.
• Other symptoms of this condition can include heavy bleeding and even infertility.
• A general lack of awareness by health care providers and the women suffering from this condition usually results in a significant delay in diagnosis and treatment.
• There is no known cause of endometriosis, but it is likely that certain genes predispose women to this condition.
• Some studies have linked endometriosis with the development of ovarian cancer, but this association has not been proven definitively.
• Endometriosis is not an autoimmune disease, even though the condition is associated with immunological and inflammatory dysfunctions.

Observing National Endometriosis Awareness Month

One way that women can observe this month is by sharing their stories about endometriosis in their medical history. This can be done by speaking at seminars or sharing information online using the hashtag #EndometriosisAwarenessMonth.

It is also a month during which people can learn more about this condition and how it can be treated. All across the U.S. during March, there are endometriosis events that people can attend, and the odds of one of these events being in their own community are pretty good.

This is certainly a month for everyone to learn more about this condition, its treatments, and the research that is being done to find better treatments for this condition.