May 01, 2015 05:18 PM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

New research suggests that your sex life may be associated with endometriosis.

Researchers at the University of Adelaide discovered an association between contact with seminal fluid and the development of endometriosis.

"In laboratory studies, our research found that seminal fluid (a major component of semen) enhances the survival and growth of endometriosis lesions," Dr. Jonathan McGuane, co-lead author on the paper, said in a statement.

Though a lot remains unknown about what causes, and how to effectively prevent and treat, endometriosis, more is now known about what aggravates the condition.

"Endometriosis, when tissue that normally grows inside a women's uterus grows outside the uterus, affects one in ten reproductive-aged women. The condition's symptoms vary but include painful periods, pelvic pain and women with endometriosis may have difficulty conceiving," researcher Louise Hull explained. "This is an important finding and raises the possibility that exposure of the endometrium (the inner lining of the uterus) to seminal fluid may contribute to the progression of the disease in women."

Hull said a lot more research is needed to uncover what this means for the relationship between endometriosis and sexual activity.

"The next stage of the research will look at what this means for women with and without endometriosis," Hull said.

The findings are detailed in The American Journal of Pathology.

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