As far back as Ashley Conte can remember—since she first started—her periods have been incredibly heavy and painful. As years went by, her symptoms worsened. With the urging of her husband, friends, and family, Ashley sought medical care for her debilitating periods. She was exhausted and desperate for answers. Eventually, she was formally diagnosed with endometriosis.
Ashley, now 39, saw numerous physicians, but it wasn’t until she met MountainStar Healthcare’s Dr. Kevin Jensen, that she says she felt like someone finally listened to her. Dr. Jensen is a physician at St. Mark’s Obstetrics and Gynecological Associates. He is an experienced surgeon and is passionate about treating patients with endometriosis.
Dr. Kevin Jensen is also an OB/GYN at the Utah Endometriosis Center at St. Mark's Hospital. Together, Dr. Jensen and Ashley joined FOX13’s The PLACE on Tuesday to discuss the complicated gynecological disease, potential treatment options, and specialty care patients can receive at the new center in Millcreek.
“Dr. Jensen let me talk,” Ashley explained. “He listened, he believed me, and then he said he thought we should do more investigating. He’s just on a different level than other physicians I’ve seen. He is the most knowledgeable doctor I’ve had regarding women’s reproductive health, and he truly cares about you. He’s incredible.”
Ashley was immediately comforted by Dr. Jensen’s compassion. She was also impressed by his comprehensive knowledge of the complex chronic condition.
What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a chronic condition where cells that are similar to the lining of the uterus are found outside of the uterus. These cells grow on the lining of the pelvic and abdominal areas, on body organs such as the intestine, appendix, bladder and diaphragm. Endometriosis can be found just about anywhere in the body.
“Endometrial tissue outside of the uterus – in the abdomen, on the ovaries, on the fallopian tubes, behind the uterus, on top of the uterus or outside of the uterus, for example – that’s called endometriosis,” Dr. Jensen said. “In endometriosis, it’s like bleeding internally inside the abdomen and that causes a lot of pain and inflammation. The body just doesn’t process that well because it’s not where it’s supposed to be.”
Endometriosis affects approximately 10% of women and about 190 million patients worldwide. According to the Endometriosis Foundation of America, there is a 7-10-year delay in diagnosis, on average.
“In order to make a formal endometriosis diagnosis, most of the time, we have to go in and perform a diagnostic laparoscopy,” added Dr. Jensen. “Someone with stage one endometriosis – where they just have a few spots – can have a lot of pelvic pain. Women who are stage four might have minimal pelvic pain. The stage does not necessarily correlate well with pain.”
Endometriosis largely affects people during their reproductive years (aged 12-52) but can also affect youth. It is often a painful condition with multiple presentations that can impact multiple organ systems and result in infertility. When Ashley and her husband met with Dr. Jensen, they had never had a positive pregnancy test in 10+ years’ time.
Symptoms of endometriosis include:
- Severe menstrual or pelvic pain
- Heavy or irregular bleeding
- Painful intercourse
- Infertility or difficulty getting pregnant
- Bloating, nausea, constipation or diarrhea
- Lower back pain
- Chronic fatigue or low energy
- Depression or anxiety
Symptoms often improve after menopause, but not always.
Warning signs and risk factors for endometriosis include a family history of endometriosis, the use of birth control pills or hormones for controlling period pain, and missing school during the teen years due to period pain.
Treatment for Endometriosis
In September 2022, Dr. Jensen performed a laparoscopic surgery on Ashley at St. Mark’s Hospital — a minimally invasive procedure using high-definition cameras and robotic surgical tools. During the surgery, Dr. Jensen realized Ashley’s disease was far more extensive than initially expected.
“Ashley has severe endometriosis; she has tons of scar tissue and inflammatory endometriosis tissue, and it’s not just outside the uterus but inside the muscle wall of the uterus, which leads to the heavy bleeding and serious pain,” Dr. Jensen said.
Despite Ashley’s complicated case, Dr. Jensen successfully removed extensive endometriosis lesions and scar tissue from her pelvis. He also carefully removed adhesions from her ovaries. Not only did this procedure lessen the severity of Ashley’s period pain and reduce her bleeding, but it also helped Ashley and her husband get pregnant.
Dr. Jensen’s care continued through Ashley’s pregnancy. In December 2023, he delivered Ashley’s daughter, Charlotte. Today, Charlotte is 18 months old and full of spunk and sweetness, and brings pure, tremendous joy to Ashley’s family.
“In my mind, Dr. Jensen saved my life and brought me the life of my daughter. He changed my whole world,” Ashley said.
Since pregnancy, Ashley’s periods have shortened in length and decreased in severity, but because endometriosis has no cure, she continues living with the disease. Regardless of what’s to come in her care journey, Ashley counts on Dr. Jensen to lead the charge for her care — and he agrees.
“Once I assume care of someone, I’m never going to give up. I will always take care of them,” Dr. Jensen said. “It’s part of our philosophy of kindness and compassion. Some people with endometriosis need multiple surgeries and some may never want surgery, and we have the abilities to help both people and everyone in between.”
Endometriosis and Infertility
Almost 4 in 10 women with infertility have endometriosis, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
While researchers are still trying to fully understand the relationship between endometriosis and infertility, endometriosis remains one of the top three causes of female infertility. Many women are unaware of their infertility or endometriosis until they attempt to get pregnant.
In some women, endometriosis goes untreated, and the disease progression allows the endometrial lesions to block the fallopian tubes and inhibit ovulatory functioning. Some studies also suggest that endometriosis may alter the uterus in a way that disrupts embryo implantation, however, this notion requires more research, per the Endometriosis Foundation of America.
Simply because a woman has endometriosis doesn’t mean that woman will be unable to conceive or deliver a healthy baby.
The staff at Utah Endometriosis Center at St. Mark’s understands that endometriosis impacts nearly every part of a patient’s well-being. The Utah Endometriosis Center is uniquely positioned to address patient concerns with a multidisciplinary team of specialists that is ready to provide expert care and treatment.
The Utah Endometriosis Center is truly a center of excellence that offers comprehensive endometriosis support for patients. Providers there offer a range of treatments for endometriosis, including complex pain management and minimally invasive surgery. They learn about and consider every patient’s individual lifestyle and needs, and tailor their treatment so that the patient can get back to living life on their terms.
Women’s health conditions treated at St. Mark’s Hospital:
- Adolescent women’s health issues
- Conditions that result in abnormal Pap smears
- Endometriosis
- Gestational diabetes
- Infertility
- Menopause
- Painful intercourse
- Urinary incontinence
About Dr. Kevin Jensen
Kevin Jensen, MD is a passionate and dedicated OB/GYN who speaks both English and Spanish. Born and raised in Logan, Utah, Dr. Jensen received his undergraduate degree from the University of Utah before completing medical school at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Medicine intrigued Dr. Jensen from an early age, and his desire to become a physician grew in college. He was driven by the hope of helping provide healing and reassurance to people by untangling complicated problems through medicine. This desire is evident to his patients as he listens and addresses their concerns in a way that helps them understand treatments and options. Dr. Jensen loves learning from his patients and views them both as amazing teachers and partners in the healing process. Dr. Jensen and his wonderful wife have three children that keep them on their toes when he is outside of the office. Together, the family loves to travel and spend time outdoors. Dr. Jensen was a ski instructor before his career in medicine, and still enjoys getting out on the slopes whenever possible.
Dr. Jensen is part of the St. Mark's Obstetrics and Gynecology Associates clinic.
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Utah Endometriosis Center at St. Mark’s Hospital
1140 E 3900 S, Suite 400 Salt Lake City, UT 84124
For more information about the new center, visit UtahEndometriosisCenter.com or schedule an appointment today by calling (801) 290-4644.
The clinic is located on the campus of St. Mark’s Hospital. St. Mark’s Hospital is one of eight MountainStar Healthcare hospitals in Utah.
