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Endometriosis is a reproductive health condition that’s characterised by frequent menstrual bleeding and the growth of uterine tissues elsewhere in the body.

“The lining of the womb (endometrial tissues) is ‘spilled’ into other parts of the reproductive organs,” explains Dr Peter Chew, a gynaecologist at Gleneagles.

As a result, the patient can suffer from severe bleeding and menstrual pain.

Even well-known personalities around the world aren’t spared from this condition, which experts say affect around 1 in 10 women.

In fact, many celebs have opened up about their condition, sharing about how it affects their confidence, their ability to work, and even broken down their marriage.

Scroll through the photo gallery to find out more.

Main photo: iStock

#1 Jaime King

The American actress and model, who’s now mum to two young sons, Leo, 2, and James, 4, was once told that she could never get pregnant. She was diagnosed with both endometriosis, as well as polycystic ovary syndrome, which led to her countless miscarriages. She shared that she would wake up in pools of blood, feeling ashamed, “I thought that because my womb didn’t work the way I was taught it should work, I was broken.” When she finally got pregnant, she recalled that she had to “live through an entire pregnancy where I didn’t know if my child was going to live or die.” By sharing her struggle, King hopes to let other women know that they’re not alone. (Photo: People)

#2 Daisy Ridley

Star Wars actress Ridley, 26, took to Instagram wearing a face mask in 2016, as she revealed that she had been suffering from endometriosis since she was 15, and that the condition was wreaking havoc on her skin. Acne has affected her confidence, she said, “I hate wearing make-up but I currently don't want to leave the house without it on.” She also explained that the reason for her post was really to encourage women to seek medical help if something didn’t feel right with their bodies. (Photo: NBC)

#3 Cynthia Koh

Some 5 years ago, Mediacorp actress Cynthia Koh, now 44, had a health scare when her period lasted longer than usual “my alarm bells went off when I started having intermenstrual bleeding for two to three months, it's really odd when you get menses for so long," she told a local newspaper. Her gynaecologist found that she had endometriosis, along with two blood cysts, about 2cm across her ovaries. She was then told that she could only conceive through IVF, and was quoted saying that “At this point, I don't want to think about pregnancy… Besides, I believe in miracles. Who knows? I might still be able to give natural conception a shot." (Photo: 8 DAYS)

#4 Jillian Michaels

You might be at the top of your fitness game,  but endometriosis can affect anyone. Just ask Jillian Michaels, celebrity personal trainer and media personality. Once criticised for saying she would much rather adopt a child than put her body through all of the physical challenges of being pregnant, she later revealed that she battles both endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome. She opened up, "I thought if I talked about my personal limitations, people would say, 'How healthy could she be?' This was my weakness and my bad." Michaels announced that she was gay in 2012, and is now engaged to long-time partner Heidi Rhoades, with whom she shares two children. (Photo: Redbook)

#5 Padma Lakshmi

The 47-year-old Emmy-nominated TV host, actress and model was once married to author Sir Salman Rushdie, whom she divorced in 2007. She also has an 8-year-old daughter with Venture Capitalist Adam Dell. She documented the collapse of her marriage with Rushdie in her memoirs, Love, Loss and What We Ate, claiming that endometriosis was one of the factors that that caused her marriage to fail. “I think that's also because I hid it to a certain degree, not intentionally but you know, it's weird to talk about your period all the time. It's like the least sexy thing in the world to do,” she says. She adds that Rushdie took it personally and felt rejected, but she adds that “I can understand that”. (Photo: GC Images)

#6 Lena Dunham

In 2016, Lena Dunham, star and producer of the HBO series "Girls," took time off filming to deal with the pain of endometriosis, explaining that she has suffered from crippling pain and chronic exhaustion since her teens. In November last year, she underwent a drastic surgery to remove her uterus and cervix, to rid herself of the debilitating disease. It was a tough decision, shared the 31-year-old actress, who says she always wanted to have children. But “with pain like this, I will never be able to be anyone’s mother. Even if I could get pregnant, there’s nothing I can offer,” she says. (Photo: CNN)

#7 Emma Bunton

The former Spice Girl, now 42, was diagnosed with endometriosis at age 25. Now married to British singer Jade Jones and mum to two boys, Tate, 7 , and Beau, 11, Buntun recalls the doctor saying that the time that 50 per cent of women with endometriosis go on to have children. “I though, only 50 per cent!? It scared the life out of me,” she shared. (Photo: Daily Mail)

#8 Hillary Clinton

Former first lady and presidential candidate in the 2016 US elections Hillary Clinton is known to have suffered from endometriosis. Married to former US president Bill Clinton, she had trouble getting pregnant because of the condition, though she finally conceived in 1980, and gave birth to her daughter Chelsea – their only child. (Photo: ABC News)