A Review of the Prevalence of Endometriosis in African Women

Abstract

Endometriosis is a chronic condition where growth of endometrial tissue is located outside the uterine cavity. Endometriosis has been shown to impact negatively on all aspects of the patient’s life. The aim of this paper is to show the prevalence of endometriosis in African women to encourage more research and clinical innovations to increase access and awareness to African indigenous women with endometriosis. Existing research have focused on the prevalence of endometriosis in developed countries. There is a dearth of research focused on developing countries, especially in Africa. This is likely due to underreporting or underestimation of rates due to inadequate facilities or specialised skills. Results showed that there is a significant prevalence of endometriosis in African indigenous women. This was common among women aged 31-40 years and the prevalence is higher among infertile women with moderate or severe endometriosis with majority in low socioeconomic status. There is a need to understand the prevalence of endometriosis in African women to help provide more support and management of the disease. Further research is necessary to increase awareness about the condition as these women tend to suffer in silence. This paper shows the importance of support and awareness of the disease especially to disadvantaged women in Africa who have no access to advanced medical amenities or insurance.