Women may be at higher risk of endometriosis

Dewi Santoso, Jakarta

Female air travellers and flight attendants are advised to avoid traveling by air for longer than five hours at a time while having their periods, as flying may increase their risk of developing endometriosis, a disease that often results in infertility.

"The higher they fly, the more air pressure. For women who are having their periods, high pressure can block the flow of blood, forcing it to stay in the uterus," obstetrician/gynecologist Julianto Witjaksono said during a seminar at Mitra Keluarga Hospital in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, on Saturday.

He said the longer the flight, the harder it is for the uterus to withstand the blood. If that happens, the blood may be pushed back to areas outside the uterus.

"The blood will fill up the areas, which could include the intestines and stomach, creating an excruciating feeling of pain around the pelvic area," he said.

Endometriosis is a condition in which the same kind of tissue that lines the walls of the uterus grows outside the uterus in the pelvic cavity or some other area of the body, causing extreme pelvic pain during the menstrual period.

Julianto, who works at Harapan Kita Hospital, said sexual intercourse during menstruation increased the possibility of endometriosis because it forced the blood to flow backward to outside the uterus.

Genetics is another factor in endometriosis, although usually the disease is triggered by multiple factors, he said.

"If your mother or one of your siblings has endometriosis, then your risk of developing endometriosis is 8 percent," he said.

According to Julianto, women between the ages of 26 and 35 were most at risk of developing endometriosis (52 percent), followed by those between the ages of 19 and 25 (24 percent), and those between the ages of 36 and 45 (15 percent). For women who have already entered menopause, the risk of developing the disease is only about 3 percent.

"Endometriosis is related to the menstrual cycle. The more often you have your menstrual period, the higher your risk of developing endometriosis," he said.

He added that endometriosis needed to be treated immediately as it could cause infertility.

"Almost 60 percent of women who have endometriosis suffer from infertility," Julianto said.

Treatments for the disease include reducing the hormones estrogen and progesterone, and the enzymes that produce the two hormones.

Early detection is key to treating the disease, Julianto said. Some of the steps for early detection include checking your temperature during the menstrual period and undergoing an ultrasonography, CT-SCAN, MRI and laparoscopy tests.

Frequent exercise, taking vitamins and avoiding junk food and canned foods will help prevent the disease. Food preservatives often found in canned foods and junk food can trigger endometriosis.

Julianto said exercise helped the body to relax and, therefore, helped the blood flow normally.

"For those who have endometriosis, stay away from soybeans as they contain phyto-estrogen, which increases the amount of estrogen," he said.

Common symptoms of endometriosis

1. Dysmenorrhea or premenstrual pain

2. Chronic pelvic pain

3. Dysparreunia or pain during sexual intercourse

4. Infertility

5. Vaginal bleeding

6. Diarrhea, constipation during menstruation