Endometriosis: a long-ignored disease, despite symptoms that can be traced back to ancient times

A rotogravure depicting hysterectomy surgery being performed in the 19th century at Paris’ Salpêtrière Hospital, a French institution for psychological disorders where women diagnosed with hysteria were typically sent for treatment (Source: Nezhat et al. 2012). Wellcome Collection, CC BY

Intense pelvic pain, severely painful periods, infertility – these symptoms associated with endometriosis already appeared in medical texts as far back as antiquity. Yet this disease, which affects 10% of women of reproductive age, long remained ignored. The reason: the long history of medical and social representations of female pain.

Having very painful periods. Being constantly exhausted. Suffering during sexual intercourse or experiencing unexplained digestive problems. For millions of women, these symptoms are part of daily life. Yet they are still too often minimised, or even considered “normal”. Behind this pain, a common but long-overlooked disease sometimes hides: endometriosis.