Prevention and treatment of endometriosis with aryl hydrocarbon receptor binding ligands

Disclosed are methods of treating endometriosis in a woman or of preventing endometriosis in a woman at higher than normal risk of developing or suffering recurrence of endometriosis. The inventive methods involve administering to the woman a pharmaceutically acceptable composition containing an aryl hydrocarbon receptor binding ligand, such as indole-3-carbinol, indole-4-carbinol, indole-5-carbinol, diindolylmethane, tryptophan, tryptamine, indole acetic acid, or glucosinolate compounds.