Managing Endometriosis: A Conversation with Dr. Jessica Opoku-Anane

In this episode, Dr. Alopi Patel sits down with Dr. Jessica Opoku-Anane, a minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon and Associate Professor at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, where she serves as Chief of Complex Benign and Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery and leads the Comprehensive Endometriosis and Chronic Pelvic Pain Program.Dr. Opoku-Anane addresses one of the most common and underrecognized challenges in women's health: distinguishing normal menstrual symptoms from conditions that warrant clinical evaluation. She discusses why endometriosis diagnoses are so often delayed, how clinicians differentiate between fibroids, adenomyosis, and endometriosis, and when surgery is—and isn't—the right course of action. The conversation also covers modern minimally invasive techniques, fertility-sparing approaches, and the documented disparities that lead to later diagnoses and less aggressive treatment for Black and other marginalized patients.Whether you're a patient navigating chronic pelvic pain or a clinician seeking practical insight, this episode offers an evidence-based look at improving gynecologic care.