
One in nine Australian women are diagnosed with endometriosis by the age of 44.
In very simple terms, it's a disorder that means the tissue that would normally line the inside of your uterus, grows outside. It might be in your ovaries, bowel, or fallopian tubes instead.
It can be excruciatingly painful and despite being one of the most prevalent women's health issues, the disorder is underdiagnosed and understudied. Far more work needs to be done in the space of endometriosis when it comes to diagnosis and treatment.
But - for reasons no one can quite understand - a medical journal decided to invest resources into determining whether endometriosis makes you more physically attractive.
Yes, you read that right.
Let us explain. In 2013 (yep, that recently), an obstetrician, gynecologist and the former president of the World Endometriosis Society, led a study that's sole purpose was to "evaluate physical attractiveness in women with and without endometriosis."
WATCH: What is endo? Post continues after video.
300 all white women had their waist-to-hip ratio, their breast-to-underbreast ratio and BMIs measured, and were quizzed about their sexual histories.
The researchers concluded that the women with rectovaginal endometriosis (a severe form of the disease), had a "leaner silhouette and larger breasts," and had been sexually active earlier in life.
Apparently this made them more attractive than those with ovarian endometriosis, and those without the disease altogether.
It was published by the University of Milan School of Medicine in 2013. Just last week, after seven years, the study was finally redacted.
Parts of the research, however, still exist online.
The opening paragraph read: "Studies formally investigating attractiveness in women with endometriosis are lacking."
You'd think that would trigger some alarm bells, but no, the 'method' incredulously went on to outline that inclusion criteria for the experiment includes "Caucasian origin" and excludes those with "visible tattoos or piercings, coloured contact lenses and completely dyed hair."
LISTEN: Keira Rumble on running a business and living with endometriosis. Post continues after podcast.
Top Comments
And, "attractiveness" is pretty much always subjective.
Hi there, thank you for alerting us. We have changed this in the article.
Thanks,
Mamamia Team