Why is endometriosis so difficult to diagnose?

Studies have shown that women living with endometriosis take an average of 6.5 years before their symptoms are accurately recognised as endometriosis. Part of this delay is because many women view period pain as normal and don’t seek help from a specialist to investigate their symptoms further. The symptoms of endometriosis can also be difficult to recognise, even for some healthcare professionals.

Another barrier to timely endometriosis diagnosis is that there is no simple test to confirm this condition. The current standard for diagnosing endometriosis is through a keyhole surgical procedure called laparoscopy, which requires additional specialist gynaecology training to perform. Fortunately, there has been growing awareness among both the public and healthcare professionals about this debilitating gynaecological condition, slowly reducing the lengthy delay to a conclusive endometriosis diagnosis in Australia.