6 Risk Factors for Endometriosis, Menstrual Pain to Intercourse

KOMPAS.com – Endometriosisa disease that is closely related to menstrual pain and fertility problems, has become a global problem, including in Indonesia.

Endometriosis occurs when cells similar to those that line a woman’s uterus grow in other parts of her body, usually around the pelvis, and less often in tissues and organs outside the pelvic cavity.

Delay in diagnosis endometriosis This is a problem that must be addressed immediately, in order to get optimal results for patients.

The impact of endometriosis is quite broad, in addition to the economy caused by the high cost of medical and surgical treatment, this disease also poses a serious burden on women’s physical and mental health.

Also read: Recognize the Symptoms of Endometriosis, One of them is Menstrual Pain

The Division of Reproductive Health, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, Dr. Achmad Kemal Harzif, SpOG(K) said that endometriosis has a high risk of relapse, within 5-7 years without treatment.

“The risk of recurrence is high within 5-7 years without treatment,” Kemal said in a webinar Launch of Guidelines for the Management of Clinical Diagnosis and Early Management of Endometriosis for Asia and the #DontLiveWithPain Campaign, held by PT Bayer Indonesia, Tuesday (29/3/2022).

Risk factors

He added, there are a number of risk factors for endometriosis, such as:

• Menstrual pain: Increases the risk of developing endometriosis by 8.1 times
• Heavy menstruation: Increases the risk of finding endometriosis by 4 times
• Impaired fertility: Increases the risk of developing endometriosis by 8.2 times
• Cysts found: Increases the risk of finding endometriosis by 7.3 times
• Abdominal pain outside of menstruation: Increases the risk of developing endometriosis by 5.2 times
• Intercourse disorders: Increase the risk of developing endometriosis 6.8 times

Meanwhile, someone with a family history of endometriosis has a 2-fold risk compared to patients who don’t have it.

“Daughter of patients with endometriosis have twice the risk of developing endometriosis,” said Kemal.

He said, someone with risk factors and family history that can increase the risk of endometriosis, can have regular checkups since puberty.

In addition, someone with menstrual pain that is getting worse can also be checked.

“The pain of menstruation is getting worse, clue first check the patient. Previously it was painful but still able to move, after a few months the pain was more severe (you should also check),” he said.

Also read: Finally, Researchers Find the Relationship between Endometriosis and Ovarian Cancer

Handling

It was explained that endometriosis treatment adjusted to the patient’s goals, such as planning to become pregnant or not.

This is because the drugs used for endometriosis can cause pregnancy.

“Drugs for endometriosis are like contraception, you can’t get pregnant if you take medicine. (Patients are asked if they want to get pregnant or not), the medicine suppresses the fertile period,” said the Chairman of the Indonesian In Vitro Fertilization Association (PERFITRI) Prof. Dr. dr. Henry Hendarto.

If the patient wants to get pregnant, he continued, a pregnancy program is carried out. But if to relieve pain, then control the pain.

Also read: Know 5 Myths and Facts of Endometriosis

Chairman of the Indonesian Association of Reproductive and Fertility Endocrinology (HIFERI) Prof. Dr. dr. Wiryawan Permadi added, if the patient wants to have children, hormonal therapy is not used.

According to him, later actions will be taken according to the patient’s condition, such as if there is a cyst, surgery will be carried out first then a pregnancy program, using drugs to enlarge the egg, insemination, and IVF.

In the treatment of endometriosis in Asia, early detection is preferred and the choice of clinical diagnosis over surgery. The patient will be given enough questions and a clinical examination.

The therapy is given according to the patient’s wishes, where medical hormone therapy is the first choice and long-term therapy is considered.

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