{"paper_id":"e9681856-d00a-4c20-9b12-4ae153b73797","body_text":"Abstract\nEndometriosis is a chronic gynecologic disease process with multifactorial etiology. Increased oxidative stress, a result of increased production of free radicals or depletion of the body’s endogenous antioxidant defense, has been implicated in its pathogenesis. Oxidative stress is thought to promote angiogenesis and the growth and proliferation of endometriotic implants. Oxidative stress in the reproductive tract microenvironment is known to negatively affect sperm count and quality and may also arrest fertilized egg division leading to embryo death. Increased DNA damage in sperm, oocytes, and resultant embryos may account for the increase in miscarriages and fertilization and implantation failures seen in patients with endometriosis. The evidence linking endometriosis and infertility to endogenous pro-oxidant imbalance provides a rationale for the empiric use of antioxidant therapy. 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Fertil Steril 71:1014–1019\nAuthor information\nAuthors and Affiliations\nCorresponding author\nEditor information\nEditors and Affiliations\nRights and permissions\nCopyright information\n© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York\nAbout this chapter\nCite this chapter\nSekhon, L.H., Agarwal, A. (2013). Endometriosis and Oxidative Stress. In: Agarwal, A., Aziz, N., Rizk, B. (eds) Studies on Women's Health. Oxidative Stress in Applied Basic Research and Clinical Practice. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-041-0_9\nDownload citation\nDOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-041-0_9\nPublished:\nPublisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ\nPrint ISBN: 978-1-62703-040-3\nOnline ISBN: 978-1-62703-041-0\neBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)","source_license":"CC0","license_restricted":false}