Endometriosis affects between six and 10 per cent of women
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Two genetic variants increase the risk of women developing endometriosis, researchers have revealed
5,500 women with the condition in the UK, U.S. and Australia had their genomes studied and compared to those of 10,000 healthy women. Researchers involved were from the University of Oxford, the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Australia and Harvard Medical School in Boston.
They managed to identify that chromosome 1 and chromosome 7 were crucial at being a major risk in a woman developing endometriosis. Chromosome 1 is close to a gene that’s important for hormone metabolism and the development of the female reproductive tract, while chromosome 7 is said to have involvement in regulating genes which develop the womb and its lining.
Dr Krina Zondervan, a researcher from the University of Oxford and a leading author in the study, said, ‘Our study is a breakthrough because it provides the first strong evidence that variations in DNA make some women more likely to develop endometriosis.’
The condition is a common gynaecological disease and affects around six to 10 per cent of women in their reproductive years. Symptoms include chronic pelvic pain, painful periods, and in some extreme cases serious fertility problems. The problem occurs when cells such as those found in the lining of the womb are located elsewhere in the body.
By James Massoud
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