Gabrielle Union [1] has never been shy when it comes to sharing her fertility struggles [2] with her fans. At a recent event, she gave even more insight to some of the challenges she faced — including the details of her adenomyosis diagnosis.
"Fertility is not an older women issue [3], it is an issue period," the 45-year-old said during a BlogHer conference [4] in New York City. "Towards the end of my fertility journey [5], I finally got some answers, because everyone had just sort of chalked it up to 'You're a career woman, you've prioritized your career, you waiting too long and now you're just too old to have a kid. And that's on you for wanting a career.'"
But Gabrielle's case is especially unusual given the age at which she was diagnosed, as it usually affects middle-aged women: "The reality is I actually have adenomyosis," she said. "There is nothing you can do about adenomyosis. The gag is that I had adenomyosis in my early 20s."
Never heard of adenomyosis before? You're not alone. Scroll through to see exactly how it can affect women and how you can treat the condition.
What exactly is adenomyosis?
Adenomyosis is a condition [7] where the tissue that normally lines the uterus (known as endometrial tissue) starts to go into the muscular wall of the uterus. Because the displaced tissue is affected by hormones [8], it continues to act like normal muscular tissue — thickening, breaking down, and bleeding — during each menstrual cycle.
Although the condition is common, middle-aged women, those who have previously given birth, and anyone who's undergone uterine surgery (including C-sections) are often diagnosed the most.
As a result, women with adenomyosis may experience the following symptoms [9]:
- Painful cramping and heavy bleeding during your period
- Passing blood clots during menstruation
- Unexplained bleeding between your periods
- Pain during sex, especially around the time of your period
- Swelling or tenderness in your lower belly
What causes adenomyosis?
Although experts haven't been able to zero in on a specific reason some individuals get adenomyosis, they have a few theories. According to the Mayo Clinic [10], researchers think the condition's root cause may be:
- Invasive tissue growth. When endometrial cells from the lining of the uterus go into the muscle that forms the uterine walls, adenomyosis can occur as a result. Uterine incisions — like a C-section — might promote the direct invasion of the endometrial cells into the wall of the uterus.
- Uterine inflammation from childbirth. There may be a link between adenomyosis and the process of childbirth. Inflammation of the uterine lining during the postpartum period can potentially lead to a break in the normal boundary of cells that line the uterus.
- Simply being born with it. Some researchers believe that condition can develop while a baby is still a fetus.
- Stem cells. Another theory is that bone marrow stem cells may actually be invading the uterine muscle in some patients, causing adenomyosis to develop.
How do you treat adenomyosis?
In general, adenomyosis is treated on a case-by-case basis [11], depending on a woman's symptoms. Many doctors will prescribe anti-inflammatory medication (like ibuprofen) or recommend hormone therapy, particularly if the patient suffers from very heavy or painful periods.
Women with adenomyosis can also look into getting minimally invasive surgeries such as uterine artery embolization (a procedure meant to decrease blood flow to the affected area) or an endometrial ablation (a procedure used to erode the lining of the uterus).
How does adenomyosis affect fertility?
While every woman is different, recent studies suggested that adenomyosis has a negative impact on female fertility [12]. A 2013 study confirmed [13] that women who suffer from adenomyosis have a higher chance of experiencing an early miscarriage. If you feel you may have the condition, schedule a consultation with your doctor to discuss your symptoms.