Julianne Hough Encourages Women to "Speak Up for Endo" during Endometriosis Awareness Month

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., March 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), a research and development based global biopharmaceutical company, announced that actress, dancer and Emmy Award-winning choreographer Julianne Hough is encouraging women to discuss symptoms of endometriosis and advocate for their own care through a campaign called "SpeakENDO."  The campaign, sponsored by AbbVie, is for women who want to learn more about endometriosis, those trying to find out what may be causing their symptoms and women already diagnosed with endometriosis.

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month and women can visit SpeakENDO.com to learn how to "Speak Up for Endo" throughout the month.  Individuals can share an inspiring video to help increase disease recognition and awareness, learn about what makes endometriosis painful and help educate others, or post their own endometriosis story on social media with #SpeakENDO. Individuals can also sign up for SpeakENDO emails, tips, and resources.  A donation will be made to the Endometriosis Foundation of America for those who sign up.

"I have endometriosis and for the past year, I've been speaking out to encourage women to 'get in the know' about endometriosis and raise awareness of this chronic and painful disease," said Hough, who is best known as a two-time professional champion and judge on Dancing with the Stars. "The painful symptoms associated with endometriosis can be hard to explain, but with proper knowledge and empowerment, women can start to 'speak endo' to their doctor, family members, boss and friends." 

Endometriosis occurs when tissue that acts a lot like the lining of the uterus starts growing outside of the uterus, where it doesn't belong.³ Endometriosis is different for every woman and is associated with pain symptoms that can be debilitating and may interfere with day-to-day activities.^{4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12} SpeakENDO.com is a go-to resource for endometriosis and offers information and resources to help women share their story and get the most from a doctor's visit.

"AbbVie is proud to continue to work with Julianne Hough to educate and help women fully express symptoms of endometriosis," said Michael Norton, vice president, head of U.S. medical affairs at AbbVie. "It's important for women to be specific about their endometriosis symptoms when speaking to a healthcare provider, which can be helpful in creating a treatment plan."

About Endometriosis
Endometriosis occurs when tissue that acts a lot like the lining of the uterus (endometrium) starts growing outside of your uterus, where it doesn't belong.³ These out-of-place growths, called lesions or implants, can cause severe pain and inflammation throughout the month.^1,13,14 These growths are called lesions and can occur on the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, or other areas near the uterus, such as the bowel or bladder, leading to long-term pelvic pain (during or between periods), pain with intercourse and other painful symptoms. There is no cure for endometriosis,^15,16 and the associated pain is currently managed with oral contraceptives, progestins, danazol, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, and GnRH agonists, many of which are not specifically indicated for the treatment of endometriosis. In more extensive cases, surgical interventions (e.g., laparotomy or laparoscopy) are often pursued, and may not be curative for all individuals.

About SpeakENDO
SpeakENDO is a campaign for women who want to learn more about endometriosis, those trying to find out what may be causing their symptoms and women already diagnosed with endometriosis. The campaign offers the latest news and information about endometriosis, true stories about women living with endometriosis and resources to help women have a better conversation with their healthcare provider. Endometriosis is a chronic and painful disease that affects an estimated one in 10 women of reproductive age.^1,2 Despite being one of the most common gynecologic disorders in America, there is a lack of awareness and prioritization of endometriosis as an important women's health issue.¹⁷ Learn more at SpeakENDO.com, and join the conversation online by sharing #SpeakENDO.

About AbbVie
AbbVie is a global, research and development-based biopharmaceutical company committed to developing innovative advanced therapies for some of the world's most complex and critical conditions. The company's mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to markedly improve treatments across four primary therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, virology and neuroscience. In more than 75 countries, AbbVie employees are working every day to advance health solutions for people around the world. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @AbbVieUS on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

¹ American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Page 1, How Common is endometriosis? 
² Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Endometriosis Guidelines Page 6, Col 2, Para 2, Lines 1-6
³ APGO Endometriosis Guidelines Page 6, Col 2, Para 2, Lines 1-3
⁴ ACOG 2010 Page 224, Col 1, Para 4, Lines 1-2
⁵ ACOG FAQ 2012 Page 2, What are the symptoms of endometriosis, Lines 3-4 (heavy bleeding)
⁶ Giudice 2010 Page 2390, Col 2, Para 1, Lines 1-12
⁷ APGO Endometriosis Guidelines Page 8, Col 1, Para 4, Lines 3-4, Bullets 1-6; Col 2, Bullets 1-3
⁸ Fourquet 2015 Page 11, Table 2
⁹ Fourquet 2010 Page 3, Para 5, Lines 1-3; Page 4, Para 1, Lines 1-7; Para 4, Lines 1-6
¹⁰ Fourquet 2011 Page 109, Col 1, Para 4, Lines 1-4, Col 2, Para 1, Line 1, Table 2, Table 3 calculations from Table 2: 14+19+57+43+24=157 (total number of patients asked if EM pain interferes with work) 19+57+43+24=143 (number of patients reporting EM pain interferes with work) 143/157 x 100 = 91%
¹¹ APGO Endometriosis Guidelines Page 6, Col 1, Para 1, Lines 1-6
¹² Youngwomenshealth.org Endometriosis Coping with Pain, Page 2, Para 2
¹³ Liu merckmanual.com Page 3, Para 6, Line 1
¹⁴ Bulun 2009 Page 268, Para 2, Lines 1-2; Lines 7-10
¹⁵ Giudice 2012 Page 541, Col 1, Para 5, Line 2, Col 2, Para 1, Lines 1-4
¹⁶ Womenshealth.gov Endometriosis Page 2, Para 2
¹⁷ Missmer, S, Hankinson, S, Spiegelman, D, Barbieri, R, Marshall, L, Hunter, D. Incidence of Laparoscopically Confirmed Endometriosis by Demographic, Anthropometric, and Lifestyle Factors. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2004; 160 (8): 784-796.

SOURCE AbbVie