At least one in 10 women experiences the pain and other symptoms of endometriosis. March 2010 is Endometriosis Awareness Month, and to mark its 25-year anniversary Endometriosis New Zealand has a number of events organised including the The Big Hug. And in Australia, Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) scientists have come a little closer to understanding what risk factors might predict which women get endometriosis – even while the actual cause is unknown. QIMR scientists have identified a new link between strong period pain experienced in adolescence and early adulthood and a doubled risk of endometriosis. Girls who started their menstrual cycle after 14 years of age had a significantly lower risk of endometriosis. The findings came from a study of more than 500 Australian women – one of the largest studies of its kind – comparing the characteristics of women with and without endometriosis. “Our research is one of the first studies to look at the factors contributing to the development of endometriosis long before symptoms and diagnosis occur,” said Dr Christina Nagle from QIMR. In a 2009 study, Dr Nagle and her team also found that being overweight at 10 years of age also doubles the risk of endometriosis later in life. “Our research aims to better understand the signs and symptoms before the disease develops and to help identify women at higher risk. Early intervention will result in better health outcomes for women with this condition,” says Dr Nagle.