Awad Hegazy Abdelmonem
Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Zarqa University, Zarqa City, Jordan.
Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig City, Egypt.
Int J Reprod Biomed. 2024 Jul 8;22(5):343-356. doi: 10.18502/ijrm.v22i5.16433. eCollection 2024 May.
Endometriosis is a major health concern in women who have it. Unfortunately, there is no definitive cure except panhysterectomy with its sequelae including induction of premature menopause due to loss of ovaries. Therefore, revealing the causes of this puzzling disease is necessary to avoid contracting it, and to spare women the health disorders resulting from it and the difficulties of treating it. We aimed to study endometriosis with a focus on its theoretical causes. Its classification reports and theories of pathogenesis were identified and studied from available database searches. The causes of endometriosis remain mysterious. Many theories have been proposed to explain the etiology, but retrograde menstruation (RM) remains the closest in this regard. Although this theory is the most accepted in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, its causes are still a matter of debate, especially in women who do not suffer from obstructions to menstrual outflows, such as cases of congenital cervical stenosis and imperforate hymen. It is suggested in some studies that there may be a relationship between women who engage in sexual activity during menstruation and the development of endometriosis. It is concluded that endometriosis is a painful and debilitating disease. Identifying its causes is essential to control the disease and avoid any burdens on health. RM is the main theory for its pathogenesis but its causes are still uncertain. Sexual activity during menstruation may be a possible cause of RM but needs more evidence. Future studies are recommended to reveal all aspects of the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
子宫内膜异位症对于患有该疾病的女性来说是一个重大的健康问题。不幸的是，除了全子宫切除术及其后遗症（包括因卵巢丧失导致的过早绝经）外，没有确切的治愈方法。因此，揭示这种令人困惑的疾病的病因对于避免感染它、使女性免受其导致的健康紊乱以及治疗困难是必要的。我们旨在研究子宫内膜异位症，重点关注其理论病因。通过对现有数据库搜索来识别和研究其分类报告及发病机制理论。子宫内膜异位症的病因仍然神秘。已经提出了许多理论来解释其病因，但逆行性月经（RM）在这方面仍然是最接近的。尽管该理论在子宫内膜异位症的发病机制中最被接受，但其病因仍存在争议，尤其是在那些没有月经流出障碍的女性中，如先天性宫颈狭窄和处女膜闭锁的病例。一些研究表明，在月经期间进行性行为的女性与子宫内膜异位症的发展之间可能存在关联。结论是子宫内膜异位症是一种疼痛且使人衰弱的疾病。确定其病因对于控制该疾病和避免对健康造成任何负担至关重要。RM是其发病机制的主要理论，但其病因仍不确定。月经期间的性行为可能是RM的一个可能原因，但需要更多证据。建议未来的研究揭示子宫内膜异位症发病机制的各个方面。
