Who's at risk of endometriosis?
You may be more likely to get endometriosis if:
- Your periods last longer than a week each month1
- Your periods are fewer than 26 days apart during adolescence2
- You have no children or only one child1 3 4
- You started having your periods early (before about 12)4
- Someone in your family has endometriosis5 6
- You're overweight.1
Sources for the information on this page:
- Eskenazi B, Warner ML. Epidemiology of endometriosis. Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America. 1997; 24: 235-258. 9163765
- Missmer SA, Hankinson SE, Spiegelman D, et al. Reproductive history and endometriosis among premenopausal women. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2004; 104: 965-974. 15516386
- Sangi-Haghpeykar H, Poindexter AN 3rd. Epidemiology of endometriosis among parous women. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 1995; 85: 983-992. 7770271
- Cramer DW, Missmer SA. The epidemiology of endometriosis. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 2002; 955: 11-22, discussion 34-6, 396-406. 11949940
- Simpson JL, Bischoff FZ. Heritability and molecular genetic studies of endometriosis. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 2002; 955: 239-251, discussion 293-295, 396-406. 11949952
- Stefansson H, Geirsson RT, Steinthorsdottir V, et al. Genetic factors contribute to the risk of developing endometriosis. Human Reproduction. 2002; 17: 555-559.
This information was last updated in Jul 25, 2008
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This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved. |
