March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. Endometriosis is a common condition that is often extremely painful, hard to diagnose, and can affect a woman’s fertility. This year, we’re back with a special series to bring awareness to this disease.
In the first episode, we hear from Dr. Tamer Seckin, a world-renowned endometriosis specialist and surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. He’s also the co-founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America (EndoFound), a powerful non-profit that strives to increase awareness, advocacy, surgical training, and research for the disease.
Dr. Seckin sheds light on the causes, symptoms and treatment for endometriosis and what his team at EndoFound are doing to improve the lives of women that suffer from endometriosis, both current and future.
Expert: Dr. Tamer Seckin, co-founder of Endometriosis Foundation of America
Host: Dr. Georgia Witkin, Head of Patient Services Development at Progyny
In case you’ve missed it, here are past episodes we’ve released on endometriosis:
For more information visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Endometriosis Foundation of America.
To learn more about endometriosis, check out Progyny’s What is Endometriosis Infographic.
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Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com.
Here are some highlights from this episode:
The History of Endometriosis
3:16 – 6:35
Dr. Tamar Seckin: It’s important to note that this disease awareness has come a level that it hadn’t previously been. There is more disease awareness and more surgeons treating the disease. Until the mid– 1990’s, there were serious chapters still in medical books called “psychosomatic gynecology” in other words, pelvic pain was considered “in your head” until recently.
Endometriosis Foundation of America
12:27—14:40
Dr. Georgia Witkin: This brings us to the importance of endometriosis awareness and Dr. Seckin has played an integral role in spreading awareness. He does it through his role with the Endometriosis Foundation of America (EndoFound), the first advocacy organization created by a practicing physician.
Dr. Tamar Seckin: I realized early in life there was a mass group of undiagnosed patients suffering with endometriosis and I found it an obligation to start something that would raise awareness and standardized diagnosis procedures. The key is early diagnosis.
Dr. Georgia Witkin: The EndoFound’s work has brought such awareness to endometriosis that more women than ever before are being diagnosed, but Dr. Seckin says there is still a lot to be done to improve protocol or these patients.