It can take up to eight years to get a diagnosis for endometriosis.
Mr Chatterjee explained the reason for this is largely due to how differently endometriosis manifests itself.
He said: “It can take months and years before the condition is diagnosed and in many women, it remains undiagnosed throughout their life.
“The non-specific symptoms and reluctance to investigate with direct visualisation of the pelvic and peritoneal cavity by laparoscopy is often the cause for delayed diagnosis.
“Often it is found incidentally when investigating the cause for subfertility.
“The array of symptoms that it can cause and poor understanding of these by clinicians can compound the pathway to an early diagnosis.
Endometriosis: A silent killer women need to be careful of
Endometriosis is a chronic disease that often goes unnoticed but is common in women, and it can be life-threatening if left untreated.
Endometriosis is often labelled as ‘the missed disease’ or ‘silent killer’ because it is a chronic disease, which is under-diagnosed, under-reported, and under-researched. It can be explained as the presence of endometrial tissue, which is present outside the uterus and is found in women of all ethnic and social groups. The prevalence has been reported around 10% of the general female population and 20-90% in women with pelvic pain or infertility. However, the aetiology and pathogenesis are not known with certainty.
Endometriosis symptoms
Endometriosis impacts one in 10 women globally, so you may have the condition if you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above.
Dr Chatterjee said: “The symptoms associated with endometriosis are painful periods that are usually not relieved with painkillers.
“You may also experience persistent pelvic pain, which gets worse during the periods.
“Many women also experience a sense of heaviness in their pelvis, especially associated with pelvic endometriosis. Lower backache is another symptom, which is related to endometriosis.”
Why do I have cramps but no period: Endometriosis tissue can be removed through laparoscopic surgery (Image: Getty)
Some of the words used to describe pelvic and period pain associated with endometriosis are, stabbing, spasmodic, dull aching, constant throbbing, and sharp agonising, shooting and cramping, so you should take note of how your period feels and see if it matches up.
What endometriosis feels like: First-person accounts from people who live with and manage the condition yahoo.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from yahoo.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.