WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Roughly one in ten women have endometriosis.
That's where the lining of the uterus is essentially in the wrong place.
Now, Iowa Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer is speaking out on her battle with endo.
Jordee Kalk with KCRG spoke with her and the steps she's taking in the U.S. House in the hopes of finding a cure.
Finkenauer is ready to talk about the extreme pain that comes during an endometriosis flare-up.
"It's almost like your lower back is in a vise grip and very tight where you almost feel like you have to stretch it out or something like that or other times it can be when I'm walking and all of a sudden it feels like a knife is jabbing on my lower side," Finkenauer said.
She has dealt with these symptoms on and off since she was a teenager.
Her most recent flare-up happened last month while on the House floor, worried this would prevent her from returning home to Iowa for the weekend.
"What was also happening was I was looking at these delays and I was sitting in my bed almost in a fetal position in pain, frustrated thinking and looking for solutions," Finkenauer said.
That's when she truly realized how limited options are because there is no cure for endometriosis right now.