Although experts haven't been able to zero in on a specific reason some individuals get adenomyosis, they have a few theories. According to the Mayo Clinic, researchers think the condition's root cause may be from:
- Invasive tissue growth. When endometrial cells from the lining of the uterus go into the muscle that forms the uterine walls, adenomyosis can occur as a result. Uterine incisions — like a C-section — might promote the direct invasion of the endometrial cells into the wall of the uterus.
- Uterine inflammation from childbirth. There may be a link between adenomyosis and the process of childbirth. Inflammation of the uterine lining during the postpartum period might can potentially lead to a break in the normal boundary of cells that line the uterus.
- Simply being born with the it. Some researchers believe that condition can develop while a baby is still a fetus.
- Stem cells. Another theory is that bone marrow stem cells may actually be invading the uterine muscle in some patients, causing adenomyosis to develop.