What is endometriosis and is there a connection to menstrual cups?
A. There is no connection to endometriosis and use of a menstrual cup. Endometriosis is a painful, chronic disease that affects 5 1/2 million women and girls in the USA and Canada, and millions more worldwide. It is a condition in which endometrium, the tissue which normally lines the uterus, grows in locations outside the uterus. This misplaced tissue develops into growths or lesions which respond to the menstrual cycle in the same way as the tissue of the uterine lining: each month the tissue builds up, breaks down, and sheds. During a normal menstrual cycle, the blood flows from the uterus, through the cervix and out of the body through the vaginal opening, whereas the blood and tissue shed from endometrial growths has no way of leaving the body. This results in internal bleeding, breakdown of the blood and tissue from the lesions, and inflammation — and can cause pain, infertility, scar tissue formation, adhesions, and bowel problems.
