{"paper_id":"2b6076b5-a6e3-41cb-b018-d7ec65d23630","body_text":"The Diagnostic Odyssey of Endometriosis: Why Timely Diagnosis Remains Elusive\nAuthors/Creators\n- 1. World Research Organization, Cape Coral, FL 33914, USA\nDescription\nIntroduction\nEndometriosis is a chronic, estrogen-dependent inflammatory disease defined by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity, most commonly on the pelvic peritoneum, ovaries, and rectovaginal septum [1]. It affects an estimated 10% of women and girls of reproductive age worldwide and is strongly associated with dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, dyspareunia, and infertility [1,2]. Despite its high prevalence and substantial impact on quality of life and work productivity [3], endometriosis remains one of the most poorly and slowly diagnosed conditions in gynecology. Multiple international studies converge on a strikingly consistent finding: patients typically wait several years, often the better part of a decade, between the onset of symptoms and a confirmed diagnosis [3-8]. This delay is not attributable to any single cause but instead reflects an interlocking set of patient-level, clinician-level, and health-system-level barriers, compounded by the biological ambiguity of the disease itself. This review synthesizes the current evidence on the scope of diagnostic delay in endometriosis and examines the factors that make the condition so difficult to identify in a timely manner.\nFiles\nMJCR-9(9)-2456.pdf\nFiles\n(387.8 kB)\n| Name | Size | Download all |\n|---|---|---|\n|\nmd5:1eddaa9d2da96963c9b364bfc079ab61\n|\n387.8 kB | Preview Download |\nAdditional details\nDates\n- Available\n-\n2026-09-10","source_license":"CC0","license_restricted":false}