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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    If I put off having children until my 30s or later, do I have a greater chance of getting endometriosis?

    Related Topics
    Endometriosis Pelvic Pain Women's Health
    Also, is there any truth to the belief that delayed childbirth can lead to endometriosis?
    • 2 answers
    • Dr Elizabeth Farrell
    • Jean Hailes for Women's Health
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  • Dr Elizabeth Farrell

    Gynaecologist

    Dr Elizabeth Farrell AM is a consultant gynaecologist and was one of the driving forces that established the Jean Hailes Foundation. Dr Farrell is recognised … View Profile

    Endometriosis can occur from when the periods first start so it is not a condition which usually starts in the thirties.  If it starts in the teens and goes undiagnosed then it may affect fertility because of damage to the pelvic organs.

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  • Jean Hailes for Women's Health

    Jean Hailes for Women’s Health is a leader in women’s health, supported by funding from the Australian Government. We provide trusted and easy-to-understand information to … View Profile

    From ‘Endometriosis - Science and Practice’ (2012, by our board member Prof. David Healy):www.rcog.org.uk/catalog/book/endometriosis-science-and-practice
    1. Yes, endometriosis becomes more likely  when a woman is in her 30s-40s  . Quite apart from that, all women show a decline in their total egg numbers from age 30. Monash University teaches everyone, including female doctors, that if they ever wish to have a baby they should start trying from their 30th birthday. 2. Yes, there is truth to the idea that delayed childbirth can increase the risk of endometriosis -  More retrograde menstruation will occur (when ‘endometrial’ cells from the uterus lining, which are normally shed during the period, flow back into the pelvis), increasing the risk of endometrial tissue ‘implanting’ outside of the uterus.

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