Teens, Like Adults Deserve Expert Care–Not Dismissal
Carolyn is 16 years old. She loves painting her nails, hanging out with her friends, and dreaming about her future. But Carolyn no longer goes to school. She barely leaves her house. For years, she has been suffering from excruciating pelvic pain, dismissed by doctors who told her it was “normal.”
Her mother, desperate for answers, took her from pediatricians to general OB-GYNs—none of whom could give her the help she needed. “She’s too young for endometriosis treatment,” they said.
By the time she found me, Carolyn had already lost years of her life to pain that could have been treated.
As a GYN surgeon specializing in conditions like endometriosis, fibroids and adenomyosis for over 17 years, I’ve cared for many teens like Carolyn—bright young women whose lives were disrupted by pain that was misunderstood or minimized.
Endometriosis is Not a “Wait and See” Condition
Endometriosis is a chronic, progressive disease that affects at least 1 in 10 women. It occurs when tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, leading to chronic pain, inflammation, adhesions, and potential infertility.
Yet, the average time to diagnose endometriosis is 7–9 years globally, leading to prolonged pain and fertility complications.
Why does diagnosis take so long? Endometriosis can only be definitively diagnosed through laparoscopic surgery, a minimally invasive surgical technique that when executed correctly, uses small incisions, a camera (laparoscope), and specialized instruments to perform procedures with less pain, scarring, and faster recovery than traditional open surgery.
Yet many patients are first guided through inaccurate or inconclusive tests—such as pelvic ultrasounds or MRIs—which are often misread or fail to detect the disease.
If laparoscopic surgery is performed by non-specialist GYNs or even minimally invasive endometriosis “specialists,” they may not remove the disease completely, relying on ablation (burning the lesions) rather than excision (removing them at the root). This incomplete approach allows the disease to persist over time.
The delay is further compounded by the widespread dismissal of symptoms—girls and women are repeatedly told their pain is “normal.”
Pediatricians and general OBGYNs, often the first doctors these patients see, are not adequately trained to recognize the early signs of endometriosis, leading to years of unnecessary suffering. Undoubtedly, OBGYNs are essential to women’s healthcare, but complex conditions—like endometriosis, fibroids, or pelvic pain—can benefit from the expertise of a surgical specialist with advanced training.
Why Early Intervention Matters
Endometriosis can already be advanced at a young age. Some teens are diagnosed with stage 3 disease at 17, while others may have mild symptoms into adulthood. The longer it goes untreated, the greater the risk of infertility, organ involvement, and pain that becomes harder to control. Early excision surgery can prevent years of unnecessary suffering.
Carolyn’s case was textbook. Her mother, after hours of research, asked if she should get a laparoscopy—a minimally invasive surgical procedure that can diagnose and remove endometriosis at the same time. She was told, again, “She’s too young.”
By the time Carolyn arrived at my office, she had already tried birth control and high-dose NSAIDs, none of which stopped the pain. Nothing was working because the underlying disease had never been addressed.
For decades, women have been prescribed birth control, painkillers—or even unnecessary hysterectomies—without truly addressing endometriosis. The tragic truth: even after a hysterectomy, pain can persist if diseased tissue was never removed.
Now, we have minimally invasive surgical options that offer lasting relief without compromising fertility. Yet some physicians still hesitate to recommend surgery to young patients, clinging to outdated fears over modern advancements.
Laparoscopy does more than treat symptoms—it identifies severe cases that may affect fertility. In advanced cases, we may recommend egg freezing or follow-up hormone therapy to prevent recurrence. Without surgery, these patients may go undiagnosed until their fertility is already at risk.
Teens with endometriosis are often placed on birth control or pain meds without a long-term plan. Meanwhile, they’re missing school, milestones, and the chance to grow into themselves free from constant pain.
Teens deserve access to GYN specialists trained in advanced diagnostics and minimally invasive excision surgery. Without that, they remain trapped in a cycle of misdiagnosis and ineffective treatment How many more girls need to suffer before we take their pain seriously?
Carolyn, like every teen, deserves the chance to live pain-free, go to school, and dream about her future. The cost of waiting isn’t just years of unnecessary suffering—it’s lost opportunities, lost futures, and lifelong consequences.
Natalya E. Danilyants, MD, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained minimally invasive GYN surgeon specializing in advanced laparoscopic techniques for the treatment of fibroids, endometriosis, and other complex GYN conditions. As co-founder of The Center for Innovative GYN Care (CIGC), Dr. Danilyants is a recognized expert in the field and regularly leads educational webinars and discussions on complex GYN conditions, advocating for early diagnosis, specialized care, and surgical excellence. She has published extensively in peer-reviewed medical journals, contributing to advancements in minimally invasive GYN procedures and techniques.
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