The Presence of Endometriosis in the Human Fetus

Endometriosis is a gynecological disease characterized by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity. Despite the fact that this disease is very frequent and has a significant social impact, the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapy are still not perfectly delineated. Retrograde menstruation and coelomic metaplasia are the most documented pathogenetic hypotheses. Research directed by our group and others has outlined experimental evidence indicating an alteration of the fine-tuning of the female genital system developmental program during the fetal life as the pathogenetic event prompting to the development of endometriosis later in life. The goal of this chapter is to summarize the latest evidences about the presence of endometriosis in the human fetus. The possible clinical and pathological implications of these findings will be discussed. Access this chapter Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout Purchases are for personal use only Similar content being viewed by others

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