What is Adenomyosis?

Definition: Adenomyosis is the presence of endometrial cells in the outer muscular layer of the uterus. Normally, endometrial cells function as part of the endometrial lining of the uterus that sheds during menstruation. Adenomyosis causes thickening of the uterus which increases the size of the uterus to two or three times its’ normal non-pregnant size. The good news is that adenomyosis is a benign condition.

Adenomyosis occurs most often in women over 30 who have had children, and rarely occurs in women who have never had a full-term pregnancy.

The cause of adenomyosis and exactly how it develops remains the subject of debate among the medical community.

While many women who have adenomyosis are asymptomatic, women who do experience symptoms may experience severe dysmenorrhea and heavy menstrual bleeding. A pelvic exam usually reveals an enlarged uterus which may be two or three times its normal size.

Treatments for adenomyosis include pain medication and the Mirena IUD which may help reduce pain and bleeding. Most other hormonal treatments have proven ineffective. When symptoms are severe, some women may opt for a hysterectomy which definitively ends symptoms. In most cases, adenomyosis resolves after menopause.

See: Before You Have A Hysterectomy

_Source:

Adenomyosis; MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia; http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001513.htm; accessed 05/09/08.

Examples: Adenomyosis is often confused with a similar condition called endometriosis.