WhelWomen's Health Evidence Lab
Home/Conditions/Adenomyosis
CONDITION · C-01

Adenomyosis.

Endometrial tissue invades the uterine muscle wall, causing an enlarged uterus, severe period pain, heavy bleeding, and chronic pelvic pain. It frequently coexists with endometriosis and is a major cause of iron deficiency anemia.

PREVALENCE

10 to 25% of women

AMONG SEVERE PAIN

40 to 50% of women with severe period pain

APPROVED THERAPY

Hysterectomy is the only definitive cure

At a glance
Total signals indexed11
Strong-tier1
Moderate-tier1
Emerging-tier6
Exploratory-tier3
Signal breakdown

FIGURE A · TIER DISTRIBUTION

Signals per confidence tier

Strong
1
Moderate
1
Emerging
6
Exploratory
3

The largest single group is the Emerging tier (6); 1 of the 11 indexed signals reach Strong, the tier reserved for the most robust, replicated evidence.

FIGURE B · ARM COMPOSITION

Where each signal originates

2
10
Direct · 2Pathway · 10

Pathway contributes the most signals (10); Community the fewest (0). Each evidence arm applies its own inclusion threshold.

BIOLOGY

Biological context

Estrogen-dependent and progesterone-resistant, like endometriosis. Invasive cells produce their own estrogen, drive inflammation and fibrosis, and cause abnormal uterine contractions. Epigenetic changes silence progesterone receptors, limiting how much hormonal treatment can help.

RESEARCH & FUNDING

Research landscape

Historically overlooked because diagnosis and treatment both required hysterectomy. Non-invasive diagnostic criteria only improved in the 2010s. No drugs are FDA-approved specifically for adenomyosis as of 2024.

REPURPOSING SIGNALS

11 signals indexed.

The breakdown above shows how those 11 signals grade out by confidence tier and where each one originates. The candidates themselves, the specific approved drugs with their verbatim-verified evidence across the direct, pathway, and community arms for adenomyosis, sit behind access while Whel is in research preview.

The candidates

Explore the candidates.

Each candidate carries its full evidence trail: scored across five dimensions, graded from strong to exploratory, with every source and date attached so it can be checked. Every candidate is open to read in full.