Differences in the treatment of endometriosis
Endometriosis is a condition where the lining of the uterus grows outside the womb. The most common symptoms are pain, bleeding, and difficulties in becoming pregnant.
Published 2/27/2026
Photo: Colourbox
In January 2019, the Centre for Clinical Documentation and Evaluation (SDKE) published a Health Atlas for Gynaecology. The national mapping shows that there are geographical differences in the treatment of various women's diseases.
Surgical treatment of endometriosis is one of the areas described in the health atlas.
- The findings show that more than twice as many women residing in Oslo undergo surgery for endometriosis compared to women living in Trøndelag. The difference is so significant that it raises questions about whether women in different parts of the country receive the same treatment options, says project leader Hanne Sigrun Byhring.
Powerful Stories in the Media
Recently, there have been several media reports concerning women suffering from endometriosis.
Both TV2, Haugesunds Avis, and several other online newspapers have shared stories about the disease, highlighting feelings of shame, severe pain that makes it difficult to maintain employment, and challenges with becoming pregnant.
The treatment of endometriosis is individual and depends on factors such as age and whether the woman wishes to become pregnant and have children. Surgical treatment can also, in some cases, increase the chances of becoming pregnant.
Operated in Different Ways
When a woman is to be operated on for endometriosis, it is recommended to use laparoscopic surgery, partly because open surgery significantly increases the risk of adhesions.
- Despite the recommendations, our figures show that open surgery is used in more than 25 per cent of operations in some areas. In Troms and Finnmark, more than 27 per cent undergo open surgery, compared to 4.5 per cent in the Bergen area, says Byhring.
Mer om endometriose
- Endometriose rammer på verdensbasis cirka ti prosent av kvinner i fruktbar alder.
- Sykdommen kjennetegnes av blødninger og smerter, og kan også ha stor innvirkning på mulighetene for å bli gravid.
- Endometriose er en betennelsestilstand som kan gi arr og cyster, og som kan skade eggledere eller eggstokker.
- Sykdommen kan behandles med smertestillende, hormonbehandling og kirurgi.
More about the Health Atlas
In Norway, the goal is for the entire population to have equal access to healthcare services across geography and social groups. The Health Atlas is a tool for comparing the population's use of healthcare services in different geographical areas, regardless of where the patients are treated.
The responsibility of health enterprises to ensure that the population is offered adequate specialist healthcare services underpins the mapping of variations in the use of healthcare services conducted in the health atlas. Unjustified variation may indicate that the "duty of care" is not sufficiently upheld.
The Health Atlas is an online mapping service consisting of an interactive map of Norway, a larger report, and extracts of key findings. The Health Atlas is developed and delivered by the Centre for Clinical Documentation and Evaluation (SKDE) at Health North and Health Førde on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Care Services.