Diagnosis of Endometriosis

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For a formal diagnosis to be made you have to be referred to a specialist for an examination called a laparoscopy. During a laparoscopy, a special narrow viewing tube (a laparoscope) is passed into your body so the specialist can view the endometrial tissue and take a small sample (a biopsy) for laboratory testing.

Where the laparoscopy goes into your body will depend on where the specialist thinks the endometrial tissue is. Because many women have symptoms around their pelvis and lower abdomen (tummy) often a small incision (a surgical cut) is made either just below your tummy button or near your vagina for the laparoscope to go through. Laparoscopy is usually done under a general anaesthetic.

Your doctor may also carry out other examinations to rule out other medical conditions or when the endometrial tissue occurs in another part of the body.