Comorbidities in Adolescent Women with Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a complicated disease whose physical manifestations clearly affect quality of life in many arenas, including relationships and work. It also carries an increased likelihood of medical comorbidities beyond chronic pelvic pain. These connections are often not well understood, especially among the adolescent population. In addition to similar comorbid conditions as adults, young women up to age 21 years with endometriosis are also more likely to have gastrointestinal or urinary complaints, allergies and asthma, fibromyalgia, and school absenteeism or presenteeism than their peers without the disease. Their pain and other concerns may not initially be taken seriously, and their concomitant complaints can be misdiagnosed during visits to multiple specialists. It can take years to ultimately diagnose endometriosis and its comorbid conditions which adds to the psychosocial impact of the disease. As a provider, it is important to be aware of more typical comorbidities and their effects on quality of life in this population and to be familiar with appropriate screening recommendations.