Adenomyosis is a painful and often misunderstood condition affecting millions of women—yet many are misdiagnosed or dismissed for years. In a recent USA TODAY article titled “Adenomyosis, the ‘silent illness’ plaguing their lives, goes undiagnosed for decades”, Dr. Natalya Danilyants, co-founder and surgical director of the Center for Innovative GYN Care (CIGC), provided expert commentary on this under-recognized disease.
Dr. Danilyants, a board-certified GYN surgeon with fellowship training in minimally invasive surgery, was quoted throughout the piece, highlighting the systemic gaps that lead to delayed care and unnecessary suffering.
“Common conditions in men and women, like cancer, diabetes or hypertension, get a lot of attention, but things like adenomyosis do not,” said Dr. Danilyants. “Patients don’t know about it. The OBGYNs maybe know about it, but don’t educate the patients. This leads to delay in care and underdiagnosis.”
What Is Adenomyosis?
Adenomyosis occurs when the lining of the uterus (endometrial tissue) grows into the muscular wall of the uterus. This can cause the uterus to enlarge, leading to symptoms such as:
• Chronic pelvic pain
• Heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding
• Pain during intercourse
• Bloating or “adenomyosis belly”
• Fatigue and anemia
• Infertility in some cases
The condition is often mistaken for other issues, such as endometriosis or fibroids, and standard ultrasounds may miss it entirely. Many patients live with symptoms for years without an accurate diagnosis.
Why the Diagnosis Gap Exists
The USA TODAY article featured stories from women who suffered for decades—some bleeding heavily for months at a time, others living in debilitating pain—only to be told it was “just a bad period” or “normal.”
Dr. Danilyants explained that part of the problem is a medical culture that defaults to medical management (birth control, IUDs, pain relievers) even when those treatments fail to address the root cause. She emphasized that hysterectomy remains the gold standard treatment for patients whose symptoms severely impact their quality of life.
At CIGC, our approach prioritizes minimally invasive hysterectomy using advanced laparoscopic techniques, often performed vaginally, with recovery times as short as 7–10 days—far less than traditional abdominal surgery.
Why Choose a GYN Surgical Specialist?
Unlike general OBGYNs who provide both obstetric and gynecologic care, the surgeons at CIGC focus exclusively on complex GYN conditions. This specialization leads to earlier diagnosis, more effective treatment, and better long-term outcomes.
For patients with adenomyosis, timely surgical care can mean the difference between years of escalating pain and a full return to normal life.
Dr. Danilyants underscored the broader impact of untreated disease:
“This disease affects millions of women… They’re going to the ER, getting blood transfusions, seeing hematologists for iron infusions. That’s years and years of spending money to treat a condition that could have easily been treated with surgery.”
Seeking Answers? You’re Not Alone.
If you’ve been told your pain is normal—or if treatments aren’t working—it may be time to talk to a specialist. The Center for Innovative GYN Care offers expert second opinions and minimally invasive solutions for conditions like adenomyosis, fibroids, and endometriosis.
You are never too young, too old, or too late to take your pain seriously.
Schedule a consultation to learn more about how we can treat your condition today.
