Ulrik Bak Kirk from Aarhus University has researched endometriosis and points out why the disease is often difficult to diagnose in general practice.
Image source: Aarhus University / AU Foto
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus is also found outside the uterus. Symptoms include menstrual pain, chronic pelvic pain, pain during intercourse, and in some cases fertility problems. Endometriosis affects up to one in ten women and girls of reproductive age, but for many, the path to diagnosis is both long and complex.
Now, two new studies from Aarhus University, published in the journal BJGP Open and the European Journal of General Practice, show that a significant part of the explanation can be found in primary care, where the condition is often difficult to recognise in its early stages.
The studies were conducted as part of the EU-funded FEMaLe project and are based on interviews with general practitioners in Denmark and the Faroe Islands. They offer insight into doctors’ day-to-day clinical practice and the diagnostic considerations they make when encountering patients with symptoms of endometriosis.
“Primary care plays a crucial role as the first point of contact in the healthcare system. Our studies show that endometriosis is often difficult to recognise because the symptoms are unclear and overlap with many other conditions,” says Ulrik Bak Kirk, co-author of both studies and former scientific coordinator of the FEMaLe project at Aarhus University.