Endometriosis occurs when uterine tissue spreads to other parts of the pelvis. This disease causes severe pelvic pain during sex and menstruation and affects around one in ten young women.

Usually, endometriosis-related pain is managed with painkillers, contraceptives, or injectable hormone treatments. But these treatments often don’t work and can trigger side-effects such as moodiness or weight gain, or can be taken only for short a duration due to their effect on bone density.

A new therapeutic pill named elagolix will now become available for endometriosis-related pain, after getting approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. This newly-approved drug can be taken for longer durations but also has several side-effects like headaches, hot flushes and nausea.

The drug slightly reduces estrogen levels which is why it can be taken for up to two years. If estrogen levels are reduced too much, it results in loss of bone density.

Elagolix will become a first-line treatment at the cost of US$845 per month. Elizabeth Farrell, a gynecologist from Jean Hailes, a women’s health organization in Australia said, “The oral contraceptive pill or an IUD would probably still be the first thing you tried.”

The company is planning to seek drug approval in Australia and the UK.