Feb. 18, 2026 — On average, it can take up to 10 years for a woman to be diagnosed with endometriosis, a chronic condition that can cause debilitating pain, inflammation and infertility.

For University of Florida Health minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons Nash Moawad, M.D., M.S., and Amira Quevedo, M.D., that timeline represents a significant delay that’s not acceptable — patients deserve better, they said.

Experts with the UF Health Endometriosis Program are working to decrease this delay in diagnosis and improve access to effective, individualized treatments with leading-edge research and technologies. Together, their efforts were recognized with a special honor in 2025, when UF Health became the sixth Center of Excellence in Complex Endometriosis Care in the world, as designated by the Surgical Review Corp. In the U.S., only four such facilities exist, and UF Health is helping to close the gap in women’s health care for patients in the state and the nation.

“Endometriosis is very near and dear to our hearts,” said Quevedo, an assistant professor in the UF College of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, who was also recognized by the Surgical Review Corp. as a surgeon of excellence, along with Moawad. “We’re interested in improving the quality of life for these patients and giving them the opportunity to conceive, carry on a normal life or actually get an answer to why they’ve been having pain for 10 years.”

Often, patients come into the clinic with complex cases where endometriosis is one part of a larger picture. They may have other chronic conditions, like irritable bowel syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, anxiety or depression. Some have referred pain or nausea. And even though endometriosis primarily affects reproductive organs, it can spread, requiring surgical intervention from urological and colorectal surgeons or other specialists. Having a full team of multidisciplinary collaborators is crucial so that each aspect of a patient’s unique case can be addressed.

“This way, it’s a one-stop shop,” said Moawad, a professor, the chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery and the director of the UF Health Center of Excellence in Complex Endometriosis Care. “The patient comes in with a complex pain condition. We break it down into the causes and refer them to the proper specialist for each one. And then when the time comes for surgery, we have all the right experts in the room to take care of those problems in one time.”

About a third of endometriosis patients experience trouble conceiving. Endometriosis and the resulting inflammation and scarring can affect the ability of an embryo to implant, and many patients seek help after experiencing multiple miscarriages or unsuccessful rounds of in vitro fertilization. Surgery can help remove endometriosis tissue, which is similar to the endometrial lining of the uterus but grows outside of the uterine cavity, and improve conception rates post-recovery while preserving as much ovarian function as possible during the procedure.

“The results can be phenomenal,” Quevedo said. “That’s what specialized care means.”

In addition to caring for patients in the clinic and in surgery, she and Moawad are leveraging UF’s extensive research and artificial intelligence infrastructure to speed up endometriosis diagnosis and discover new treatment options. A study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology in May shared their creation of a new prediction model for endometriosis, made from an AI analysis of half a million data points from pathology-proven endometriosis cases. While the model needs to be externally validated in other departments before it can be deployed for patient care, their hope is that it can help physicians quickly and accurately identify symptoms of endometriosis, getting patients the help they need much faster than the seven- to 10-year average.

Currently, they are working to increase access and early diagnosis for patients at UF by partnering with the UF Rapid AI Prototyping and Development for Patient Safety, or RAPiDS, team and primary care providers. This project involves identifying the most predictive symptoms that patients with endometriosis present with and developing effective care pathways. Quevedo is also studying the microbiome and mitochondrial metabolites found in endometriosis, aiming to launch new interventional trials that target those biologic systems.

“I’m excited about all the growth and new innovation that we’re soon to be part of,” she said.