What is Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a disease where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. This leads to inflammation and scar tissue forming in the pelvic region and elsewhere in the body.

Symptoms of endometriosis include painful periods, chronic pelvic pain, pain with intercourse, fatigue, “endo-belly” caused by bloating, issues with bowels and bladder such as interstitial cystitis, ovarian cysts, migraines and more.

Too often, people with endometriosis are told their pain is normal or that the issue is psychological, leading to years of debilitating pain that, coupled with not being believed, takes a toll on a person’s mental health.

Endo Facts

  • Endometriosis has been found on every organ in the body, and can even be fatal.
  • Endometriosis is rated as one of the 20 most painful medical conditions, along with cancer, childbirth, and appendicitis.
  • The youngest documented case of endometriosis was in an 8 year old girl.
  • Around 30% of people with endometriosis struggle with infertility.
  • It takes an average of 7 years to be diagnosed with endometriosis.
  • There are four stages of endometriosis, depending on how deep the endometriosis is infiltrating, growing, and spreading.
  • Endometriosis has been linked to an increased risk of ovarian cancer.
  • The only way to diagnose endometriosis at any stage is through laparoscopic surgery.

Endo Costs

  • Without insurance, a laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis can be between $15,000 and $40,000, depending on whether the patience needs to stay overnight, biopsies and testing, etc. These prices are specific to the United States.
  • With insurance, most patients are still paying $2500 to $6000 out of pocket costs, on top of travel costs to see specialists and taking time off work for recovery.
  • According to a study from Frontiers in Global Women’s Health, endometriosis patients in the United States spend $26,305 more then other patients on healthcare expenses in the five years before and after their diagnosis.
  • In the year after their diagnosis, endometriosis patients spend an average of 3.5 times the amount on healthcare as other patients.
  • Indirect costs, such as lost production due to endometriosis patients taking time off work due to debilitating pain and medical appointments, average around $16,000 per patient annually.