Abstract
Short biography
Thomas D'Hooghe
Clinical Head, Leuven University Fertility Center; Chair, European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology Special Interest Group for Endometriosis; Editor-in-Chief Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation; Research Associate and Chair International Advisory Board, Institute of Primate Research, Kenya; Fundamental Clinical Investigator for Endometriosis, Belgian Research Foundation; Full Professor and Serono Chair of Reproductive Medicine, Leuven University.
Introduction
Endometriosis affects millions of women around the world, but receives relatively little attention. The disease often has a crippling effect on a woman's life, but it is not recognized by society in general (or by many healthcare professionals), because it does not cause visible handicaps. In addition, endometriosis is shrouded in a cloud of taboos regarding menstruation, sexuality, infertility and pain – particularly in the developing world.
Endometriosis can impact on the physical, mental and social wellbeing of a woman and can have a profound effect on her life, as it can be difficult to finish an education, maintain a career and bear children. The socioeconomic burden is considerable owing to delayed diagnosis and ‘hit-and-miss’ treatments, as well as the costs to the individual when symptoms interfere with day-to-day life at work and in the home. However, despite the enormity of the problem, there is little funding available for research.
Endometriosis straddles a number of healthcare fields, including reproductive, sexual, mental and adolescent health; it is therefore not an easy disease to consign to one specific category or priority area.
In this issue of Women's Health, special attention is given to various aspects of endometriosis, including the prevalence of this disease in Africans, the value of the baboon model for preclinical and basic research, possible treatment options with new hormonal agents such as aromatase inhibitors and selective estrogen-receptor modulators, and the need for future research.
Conflict of interest statement
Professor D'Hooghe holds the Merck Serono Chair for Reproductive Medicine at Leuven University Hospital Gasthuisberg since 2005, but Merck Serono Pharmaceuticals had no role in the design or writing of this chapter The authors have no conflicts of interest that are relevant to the content of these manuscripts.