Lexi Young shocked The Bachelor star Joey Graziadei and fans of the show when she made the decision to self-eliminate so early on. Part of the reason for her decision was down to her stage 5 endometriosis, but what exactly is the condition?
Endometriosis is a condition that affects one in ten women according to the World Health Organization. It causes chronic pain during periods, sexual intercourse, and even bowel movements and urination. Other symptoms include bloating, fatigue, nausea, infertility, as well as feelings of depression and/or anxiety.
What causes Endometriosis?
Maiden Lane Medical states that the illness can be caused by tissue from the uterus, known as endometrial cells, growing outside of the uterus, which leads to a lot of pain for anyone who has to deal with the condition. Usually the displaced cells will attach themselves to organs such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes and the bowels and can cause inflammation and scarring.
What does “stage 5” mean?
Officially the condition only goes up to stage 4 at the moment, stage 1 being minimal or superficial growths and stage 4 being much more severe in terms of the size of cysts and other widespread adhesions over the body caused by the endometrial cells. Stage 3 and 4 are known as Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis (DIE for short.) A quick side note, the stages don’t necessarily correlate to pain levels, it’s possible to have stage 1 endometriosis and still have very severe pain.
The ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) prefers a point system for measuring the condition with 150 points being the most severe possible form of endometriosis. Stage 4 is considered anything above 40 points, although some have suggested anything above 70 points be labeled as stage 5.
As you can imagine, stage 5 is more widespread with even deeper infiltrating growths. Endofound.org states that this form of the disease could indicate a low chance of fertility as well, with many suffering from stage 5 endometriosis showing a low chance of pregnancy without the help of IVF.
Lexi Young’s decision to drop out
Joey and Lexi got on well during their time together, with Lexi even making it to the top 10, but Young admitted starting a family may be difficult due to her condition. Graziadei assured her that he wasn’t scared and that there were “lots of other ways to create a family” although he had previously mentioned wanting to wait a few years before having kids. With Young’s increased likelihood of infertility, waiting for a few years is sadly a luxury she feels she may not have.