Do You Have Questions About Endometriosis? We'll Ask A Surgeon!

Dr. Andrea Vidali is a world-renowned endometriosis surgeon, reproductive immunologist, and reproductive endocrinologist. He's here to answer some questions!

Endometriosis is a condition that impacts 1 in 10 people assigned female at birth, or approximately 180 million people worldwide. The condition — which occurs when tissue similar to, but not the same as, the uterine lining grows elsewhere in the body — is wildly misunderstood by many doctors around the world. On average, it takes around seven years for patients to receive a diagnosis, and this statistic is estimated to be closer to a decade for patients of color.

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Endometriosis has a long list of symptoms and can impact everyone differently. The disease can cause debilitating chronic pain, fatigue, organ dysfunction, and infertility. And as Caroline Reilly of Rewire News Group points out in her very handy guide to this disease, in addition to pain, endometriosis can cause symptoms like gastrointestinal issues, brain fog, urinary dysfunction, and leg, back, and hip pain.

Endometriosis is regarded by many as incredibly painful; it can be one of the most painful health conditions a person can experience. But there is still so much that your average OB-GYN doesn't know about this disease.

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Dr. Andrea Vidali is a world-renowned endometriosis surgeon, reproductive immunologist, and reproductive endocrinologist who specializes in infertility, implantation failure, and pregnancy loss. He is the principal clinician-scientist of Braverman Reproductive Immunology, bringing 20-plus years as a leading authority in reproductive immunology, along with extensive experience in minimally invasive and robotic surgery. And he has agreed to answer the most important questions you have concerning endometriosis.

Dr. Andrea Vidali

He’s also the co-owner and founder of the Endometriosis Summit, which connects patients and practitioners in the field of endometriosis.

So we want to know: What questions do you have about endometriosis?

Maybe you're wondering if the leg pain you've been experiencing for several months now could be at all related to endometriosis.

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Maybe you're curious what endometriosis can actually mean for fertility and what we know about its impact.

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Or maybe you just wanna know if we know why the hell this disease hurts so damn much.

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Whatever the case may be, allow us to sit down with Vidali to get an answer for you. This is a safe space! Leave your question in the comments below, or submit them anonymously through this form, and it might be answered by Vidali in an upcoming BuzzFeed Community post!