Diagnosing endometriosis in primary care: clinical update.

INTRODUCTION Prompt diagnosis of endometriosis is a clinical imperative for general practice. Women with endometriosis typically face a diagnostic delay of 7–10 years, despite more frequent GP and accident and emergency attendances than women without the disease.1,2 Endometriosis has a relatively high prevalence (up to 10% of women in the general UK population and up to 50% of infertile women) and causes high morbidity in terms of both pain and infertility.2 Despite this, the condition remains poorly recognised in practice, meaning that patients must often navigate misdiagnosis and suboptimal care. While there have been recent significant advances in the evidence regarding pathogenesis and management, this literature is largely directed towards a secondary care audience. We present key issues below from a primary care perspective.