Article Overview:

Endometriosis negatively impacts the health and well-being of millions of women worldwide. Although first described within the medical literature more than 100 years ago, understanding, diagnosing, and treating endometriosis remain challenging. This article provides an overview of endometriosis, theories for its pathogenesis, current therapeutic approaches, and challenges to diagnosis and treatment.

Learning Objectives:

• Define endometriosis and list the criteria used for staging of the disease.
• Recall the most common symptoms reported by women with endometriosis.
• Recognize factors that may contribute to diagnostic delays of endometriosis.