Is there a genetic basis to endometriosis?

It is likely that endometriosis is a common multifactorial disease, like diabetes and asthma, caused by an interaction between multiple gene loci and the environment. Such conditions do not have a clear Mendelian pattern of inheritance. This chapter reviews the existing evidence, in human and non-human primates, that suggests there is a genetic basis to endometriosis. The environmental agents that have been implicated in the development of endometriosis are also reviewed. The identification of genetic loci conferring susceptibility to endometriosis using linkage analysis may lead to a better understanding of disease aetiology and, in time, improved therapeutic strategies and diagnostic methods.