1. It’s an illness that affects a woman’s uterus.
“Endometriosis is when the lining of the uterus called the endometrium, grows outside of the uterus, and inside the belly,” gynecologist Dr. Jhansi Reddy told HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY of the illness that Kim Kardashian, 36, allegedly suffers from. “Every month the lining sheds when a woman menstruates. However, when someone has endometriosis this doesn’t happen. Instead of the blood coming out through the vagina, it goes backwards up the Fallopian tubes and into the belly.”
2. There are several unpleasant symptoms associated with the condition.
According to Dr. Reddy, the illness can cause chronic pelvic pain, painful periods, longer and heavier periods, nausea, pain with sex and sometimes infertility.
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3. Doctors are unsure why it causes infertility.
“We don’t fully know why it causes infertility,” Dr. Bruce Lee tells HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY. “The best thing is to catch it early. If detected and treated early, infertility is much less of an issue.”
4. However, a woman can still have children if she has it.
“Not all women with endometriosis are infertile, and many go on to conceive,” Dr. Lee said, something Kim was able to do even if she does suffer from the disease. He added that, “endometriosis does not affect a pregnancy once it occurs.” “However, women with endometriosis may have trouble conceiving because of the scar tissue caused by the endometriosis,” Dr. Reddy said. “In this case, I would recommend IVF.”
5. There is no cure, but there are treatments available for the illness.
“With birth control pills the symptoms can be managed,” Dr. Reddy said. “Birth control can also suppress the endometriosis from growing. If birth control doesn’t work, a person can have surgery, which would involve either scraping the endometriosis off or burning it off.” “In severe cases, treatment may also include removal of the ovaries and Fallopian tubes and the uterus,” Dr. Lee adds.
HollywoodLifers, what do think of endometriosis? Do you think Kim has it? Let us know below.