When women reach reproductive age and up until menopause there is a 10% chance they will experience some form of Endometriosis. It is very rare for girls who have not yet got their period, or for women past menopause where menstruation has stopped, to experience it. It is a disorder where tissue grows in the ovaries, the tissue of your pelvic organs, and your fallopian tubes. Endometriosis causes are not fully known or understood, but there are some common situations that can become a risk and there are four stages of the condition. Here is a closer look.
Potential causes
- Coelomic metaplasia – The existence of primitive cells that can grow and form into other tissue is one situation that can lead to Endometriosis. They are often in the pelvic organs and can develop into endometrial cells which are now called endometrial implants. These now can act just as endometrial cells even though this is outside of the uterus.
- Retrograde menstruation – Some science suggests that endometriosis can be caused by retrograde menstruation. This is the menstrual flow going back to the uterus into the fallopian tubes and on to the pelvis and abdominal cavity. This is another female issue that is not fully understood, but there seems to be a connection between the two issues.
- The direct transfer of endometrial tissues – Another of the `endometriosis causes` though a rare one is the transfer of endometrial tissues happens. It might be during a surgical procedure like a cesarean or episiotomy. Endometriosis cells also seem to transport in the lymphatic system and the bloodstream.
Hormonal fluctuation – During menstruation, a woman’s hormones fluctuate. During menopause and pregnancy, those specific hormones are stable. It may be the hormonal fluctuation that has an impact. Some studies look at immune system abnormalities too.
The four stages of Endometriosis
The condition has four stages. They essentially consider the lesions that develop, their number, and their depth. It does not reflect the pain level or other symptoms though. A woman can be classified as being at stage two but still experiencing very severe pain. Here are the`endometriosis stages.
- Stage One – there are few superficial implants and the disease is at the minimal stage. Known as Peritoneal endometriosis the abdomen’s lining has endometriosis tissue and few implants.
- Stage Two – this is the next stage so it moves from minimal to mild with more implants that go deeper. Called Ovarian endometriomas the endometriosis is in the ovaries and ovarian cysts form which are a concern should they break and spread to other areas in the pelvic cavity.
- Stage Three – the moderate stage where there are a lot of implants that are deep. Called DIE I or Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis I. There are filmy adhesions, small cysts on one ovary or both, and might also include infiltration of the rectum, and uterus too.
- Stage Four – the most severe of the endometriosis stages where there are even more deep implants, the ovaries have large cysts on one or both and there are dense adhesions. Known as DIE II, or Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis II, involves organs in the pelvic cavity and outside it such as the lungs, bowels, heart, diaphragm, and brain.