Dr. Lori Gore-Green | Women's Health Professional

Dr. Lori Gore-Green's Portfolio of Experience as a Women's Health Professional

The Silent Struggle: Understanding Endometriosis and Its Impact on Women’s Lives

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Endometriosis affects an estimated 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, yet it often goes undiagnosed for years. It’s a chronic condition that not only causes physical pain but also impacts fertility, mental health, and quality of life.

What Is Endometriosis?

Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (endometrium) grows outside of the uterus—on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bowel, or other pelvic organs. Unlike the normal uterine lining, this misplaced tissue has no way to exit the body, causing inflammation, scarring, and severe pain over time.

Recognizing the Symptoms

The symptoms of endometriosis can be subtle or mistaken for other conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or painful periods. Common signs include:

  • Severe menstrual cramps that worsen over time

  • Pain during or after sex

  • Chronic pelvic pain

  • Fatigue

  • Painful bowel movements or urination, especially during menstruation

  • Difficulty getting pregnant

Many women are told that pain is “normal,” leading them to suffer in silence for years before receiving a proper diagnosis.

The Diagnostic Challenge

There’s no simple test for endometriosis. Diagnosis often requires laparoscopic surgery, a minimally invasive procedure that allows doctors to view and remove endometrial lesions. Unfortunately, the average time to diagnosis can be 7–10 years, due to the normalization of symptoms and lack of awareness among both patients and healthcare providers.

Treatment Options

While there’s currently no cure for endometriosis, several treatment options can help manage the symptoms:

  • Hormonal therapies: Birth control pills, IUDs, or GnRH agonists can reduce or stop menstruation, helping to control pain.

  • Pain management: Anti-inflammatory drugs and lifestyle modifications like diet and exercise may offer relief.

  • Surgical intervention: In more severe cases, surgery to remove lesions can significantly reduce symptoms and improve fertility outcomes.

Advocacy and Awareness Matter

Women with endometriosis often feel dismissed or misunderstood, but increased awareness is beginning to change that. Celebrities and public figures sharing their experiences have helped bring this invisible illness into the spotlight.

Early diagnosis and intervention can drastically improve outcomes. If you or someone you know experiences ongoing pelvic pain or painful periods that interfere with daily life, don’t ignore it—speak up, seek support, and advocate for proper care.

Endometriosis is real, and women deserve to be heard, believed, and treated with compassion.

Preserving Your Mental Health During the Holidays

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The holidays may seem like the best time to be full of joy. Unfortunately, the holiday season is often the most stressful season for many people. Why? Consider the financial struggle of buying gifts and extra food, as well as the family drama that a lot of people deal with, and you have a recipe for disaster. If you are someone who deals with a lot of emotional stress over the holidays, there are ways for you to relax. Your mental health is essential, so consider the following tips the next time you feel your blood pressure rising!

  1. Keep track of your spending

It’s easy to get carried away during the holidays when it comes to gifts and goodies. However, spending more than you can afford can cause you to feel anxious and stressed out. At the beginning of the season, figure out just how much you can spend when it comes to presents, food, traveling, and other holiday expenses. Stick to your budget to avoid the stress that overspending brings.

  1. Watch your alcohol intake

Holiday parties and special occasions usually revolve around a lot of drinking! It’s easy to get sucked into another glass of alcoholic eggnog or a winter-themed beer, especially at a party or event. You may feel like you are suppressing some anxious feelings with alcohol, but alcohol is a depressant that can make stress and depression worse. Know your limits or abstain completely during this stressful time.

  1. Think about the new year

Not everyone wants to leave the Christmas tree up all year, and that is perfectly okay! If you can’t wait until you can put the holiday behind you, keep in mind that it will soon be over. When you think about yourself in the future, past this particular holiday, it can be grounding. Remember, January isn’t too far off in the future!

  1. Take some time for yourself

The holidays often revolve around parties, work, family, and activities. It can be exhausting at times, so make sure you take the time you need for yourself. Rest and recharge by practicing some self-care regimens, and you will likely feel much better about this stressful time. It’s essential to take a little bit of time every day to relax!

Endometriosis : Is Your Pregnancy at Risk?

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Dr. Lori Gore-GreenFindings of a recently released study of 15,000 women suggest that women with endometriosis had a greater chance  of suffering from serious complications throughout the duration of their pregnancy as compared to women without the condition. These complications also increased the chance of ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage and premature birth.

Endometriosis is a medical condition wherein the uterine lining or the “endometrium” grows in other places like the fallopian tubes, ovaries, vagina or pelvis. Over time, this lining builds up and can cause cysts, heavy periods, severe cramping and possibly infertility. Approximately 5 million women in the US alone have this condition, though the true number is unknown, as it may go undetected.

However, there are certain symptoms that some patients with the condition tend to share.

Pain, both acute and chronic tend to be a marker of endometriosis, for some. Painful menstrual cramps that worsen over time are a commonly shared symptom of the affliction as is chronic pain of the lower back and pelvis.Pain during or after sexual intercourse that is often described as a “deep pain”  is often a common symptom of endometriosis. Intestinal pain can be a symptom, as can painful bowel movements. Stomach and digestive problems resulting in diarrhea, constipation, bloating and/or nausea – particularly during menstrual periods can be a symptom of the condition. Painful urination – particularly during menstrual periods is another symptom of endometriosis. In rare cases, blood found in stool or urine can indicate the condition. Bleeding and spotting in-between periods can also be a symptom, as can infertility. If you are someone you know suffers from any of these symptoms, see a doctor as it may be a symptom of another endometriosis or another condition.

The findings of the recently published longitudinal study on endometriosis, though important, are not wholly surprising  as endometriosis is associated with both structural and functional changes in the endometrium and the uterus. Researchers discovered that this condition increased the odds of a miscarriage by 76 percent, the risk of premature birth by 26 percent and the incidence of needing a caesarean section by 40 percent. The chances of sustaining an ectopic pregnancy (this is where the fetus develops outside of the womb) nearly tripled.
This study was based in Scotland and a longitudinal study conducted from 1981 to 2010 with a mix of women who had and did not have endometriosis. Although infertility is a known side effect of endometriosis, this newly collected data will hopefully return the focus to antenatal care particularly for pregnant patients with endometriosis.