Impact of endometriosis on the mental and emotional health of women: a qualitative study

Identifier:  TFG:2266

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFG2266

Authors:  Folqué Alcoverro, Carme

Abstract:
Introduction: Endometriosis is a disease characterized by the benign growth of the endometrial tissue out of the uterus. This pathology is chronic and affects 10% of the women of reproductive age. The most common symptoms are pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia and infertility. Objective: To determine the impact of this disease on the mental health of women and on their quality of life. Methodology: This paper is a qualitative research, of the kind phenomenological. For the information gathering we have realized a bibliographical research on the endometriosis and an interview to three women affected by endometriosis to see the impact of this pathology on their mental and emotional health. Results and discussion: Endometriosis is a disease that affects the women negatively, given the chronic pain and the fertility problems that if produces. This fact has a consequence on the quality of life and the mental and emotional health of the woman, and can lead to develop anxiety, stress and depression, among other disorders. Conclusions: Endometriosis causes an important worsening of the quality of life of plenty of patients. In our study we have been able to observe that the impact of the pain and the worrying about the infertility lead to an important worsening of the emotional and mental well-being of these women.