How do I know if I have endometriosis?

On average, it takes 7 years for women with symptoms to be diagnosed. The principle challenge in diagnosis is that the gold standard for identifying endometriosis is through surgery - laparoscopy. There are no reliable blood tests and imaging studies are either limited (eg ultrasound scan - highly dependent upon sonographer/radiologist skill set and level of disease) or expensive (MRI - though recent Government announcements hold out hope of greater access). Additionally, as the severity of disease symptoms does not correlate reliably with the volume of disease (as defined surgically), women with negative imaging and blood tests will often have endometriosis that can only be seen surgically.

There are tools to help women assess their potential of having endometriosis and these are helpful in starting a conversation with their primary clinician and/or specialist.