Endometriosis: Understanding the silent pain affecting millions of women
Endometriosis is gaining increased attention as women and health advocates work to reduce the stigma and diagnostic delays associated with the condition. Affecting roughly 10% of women globally, the disease causes chronic pain and can have severe impacts on physical and mental health.
Why it matters
Increased awareness is crucial for improving early diagnosis and management of a condition that has historically been misunderstood and dismissed by the medical community.
Endometriosis has increasingly made headlines in recent years as women speak more openly about a condition that has for decades been misunderstood, underdiagnosed and, in many cases, dismissed as ordinary menstrual pain.
In Kenya, the fight to raise awareness has been championed by patients, health advocates and public figures, including women who have shared their own experiences to challenge the stigma surrounding the disease and encourage others to seek medical attention.
The growing attention has helped bring into focus a condition that affects millions of women worldwide but remains difficult to diagnose and manage.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines endometriosis as a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus.
This tissue can cause inflammation and the formation of scar tissue, particularly in the pelvic region.
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