What is it and why are so many black women suffering from it?

Celebrities such as

Tanzanian supermodel Millen Magese's battle with endometriosis has been well-documented as she revealed she had been suffering from the disease since she was 25 years old. The model had over 17 surgeries in a bid to make living with the disease more manageable and feared that she may never be able to conceive naturally. Thankfully, she gave birth to her miracle son, Prince Kairo, in New York last year.

However, Millen's story is not unique. Many women are living with the disease and some do not even realise they have it after normalising extremely painful periods.

Endometriosis uniquely affects black women Traditional thinking was that endometriosis was a condition of white women but that conventional thinking is rapidly changing. Unfortunately, when black women have chronic pelvic pain it is presumed to be due to other conditions like PID (pelvic inflammatory disease, a pelvic infection) or uterine fibroid tumors (very common in black women). However, endometriosis is real and common in many black women. The Founder, Endometriosis Support Group of Nigeria (ESGN), Dr. Abayomi Ajayi went as far as to state that as much as one in every 10 Nigerian women is suffering from endometriosis

What exactly is endometriosis?

Endometriosis is a condition that occurs when the tissue that normally grows inside of the uterus (called endometrium) grows outside of the uterus in the pelvis. Once in the pelvis, the endometrial tissue causes inflammation and scarring as it attaches to pelvic organs (fallopian tubes, ovaries, bowel and bladder). This scarring and inflammation is what causes the painful symptoms many with endometriosis experience.

The exact cause of endometriosis is unknown but possibilities include menstrual bleeding that goes through the fallopian tubes into the pelvis, genetic factors (it is more common in families) and having had a prior Cesarean section (C-section) delivery.

Symptoms

While we don’t know the exact cause, we do know the symptoms of endometriosis. These symptoms which are frequently wide ranging and debilitating include:

Ways to live with the disease

Though there are no cures for endometriosis, the good news is there are plenty of ways to deal with the pain.

Your gynaecologist or primary care provider can help you come up with the best treatment plan to keep pain at bay. The most common treatments include:

Hormonal birth control (pills or intrauterine device):
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist:
Pain relievers:
Surgery:

You can also try complementary and holistic medicine, as long as you clear it with your doctor first. Women with endometriosis have given these complementary and holistic treatments a big thumbs-up:

Further support

Living with endometriosis is a lifelong battle and there are times you may feel like you cannot cope alone. Here's a list of sites, charities and support groups for women who need it.

Endometriosis Support Group, Nigeria

Fertility Treatment Support Foundation