Endometriosis

FAQ
The primary cause of endometriosis is unknown, and the condition cannot be prevented. Health experts suggest genetics, excess or dysregulated estrogen, a retrograde menstrual flow, and low prenatal testosterone levels could all be contributing factors to endometriosis.
Weight gain isn’t recognized as a symptom of endometriosis. However, endometriosis can cause heavy menstrual periods that lead to bloating, fluid retention, and temporary weight fluctuations.
You can get pregnant with endometriosis, but the condition may make it more difficult to conceive. If untreated, endometriosis can cause infertility when inflammation damages your eggs or scar tissue blocks your fallopian tubes.
Endometriosis doesn’t typically become cancerous. Research suggests ovarian cancer and breast cancer may be more common among women with endometriosis, but the potential link between the conditions remains unclear.
Yes, you can live a normal life with endometriosis when equipped with the proper treatment and support. Many women experience significant symptom relief from diet and lifestyle changes, pain medication, hormone therapy, surgical intervention, and any combination thereof.

Kara Smythe, MD
Medical Reviewer
Kara Smythe, MD, has been working in sexual and reproductive health for over 10 years. Dr. Smythe is a board-certified fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and her interests include improving maternal health, ensuring access to contraception, and promoting sexual health.
She graduated magna cum laude from Florida International University with a bachelor's degree in biology and earned her medical degree from St. George’s University in Grenada. She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. She worked in Maine for six years, where she had the privilege of caring for an underserved population.
Smythe is also passionate about the ways that public health policies shape individual health outcomes. She has a master’s degree in population health from University College London and recently completed a social science research methods master's degree at Cardiff University. She is currently working on her PhD in medical sociology. Her research examines people's experiences of accessing, using, and discontinuing long-acting reversible contraception.
When she’s not working, Smythe enjoys dancing, photography, and spending time with her family and her cat, Finnegan.

Kacy Church, MD
Medical Reviewer
Dr. Church always knew that she wanted to pursue endocrinology because the specialty allows for healthy change through patient empowerment. She completed her fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism in 2017 at Stanford University in California.
She loves running, dancing, and watching her sons play sports.

Sanjai Sinha, MD
Medical Reviewer
Dr. Sinha did his undergraduate training at the University of California in Berkeley, where he graduated magna cum laude. He earned his medical degree at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City in 1998 and completed his internship and residency training at the New York University School of Medicine in 2001. Subsequently, he worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs from 2001 to 2012 and held faculty appointments at both the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
In 2006, he won the VISN3 Network Director Award for Public Service and a commendation from the secretary of Veterans Affairs for his relief work after Hurricane Katrina. He joined Weill Cornell Medical College in 2012, where he is an assistant professor of clinical medicine and the director of the care management program, as well as a practicing physician.
In addition to his work for Everyday Health, Sinha has written for various publications, including Sharecare and Drugs.com; published numerous papers in peer-reviewed medical journals, such as the Journal of General Internal Medicine; and presented at national conferences on many healthcare delivery topics. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians.

John Paul McHugh, MD
Medical Reviewer
John Paul McHugh, MD, is an obstetrician-gynecologist and lifestyle medicine specialist in southern California. He has always placed wellness at the center of his work, in both delivering babies and improving practice standards. Dr. McHugh believes that bringing lifestyle medicine to the center of health and wellness empowers patients to make the change they seek and enjoy the benefits of true wellness.
He is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. He served as a department chair at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego and is now the chair-elect for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists for California.
He has published several articles in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine and served as a peer reviewer for many articles. He contributed to the first textbook of lifestyle medicine in women's health: Improving Women's Health Across the Lifespan.
Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH
Medical Reviewer
Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH is an internal medicine specialist with extensive clinical experience in multiple practice settings. Dr. Marcellin is a past medical director of both fee-for-service and community free clinics. She is a director and medical team leader for Solar Light for Africa, Ltd., a non-profit group providing solar energy systems to health care facilities in Africa, and has led three medical assistance teams to Uganda. She graduated from Eastern Virginia Medical School, and completed post-graduate training at Georgetown University. She has a master's degree in public health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, with a concentration in infectious diseases and international health. She writes on and reviews a wide range of medical and public health issues.
- Endometriosis. Mayo Clinic. August 30, 2024.
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