Endometriosis is one of the major causes of infertility in women. It is a disorder that causes the tissue that usually lines the uterus to grow outside of it. In addition, one of the common symptoms of endometriosis is pain and menstrual irregularities. Furthermore, effective treatments as common as excision surgery or hormone therapy will be helpful.
However, it has not been scientifically proven why or how mild endometriosis affects the chances of becoming pregnant. Nevertheless, when endometriosis is severe, it blocks the fallopian tubes and damages the ovaries. Patients who have untreated endometriosis often require Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) or In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
A few patients with endometriosis may also get pregnant without any treatment. Some of the ways endometriosis can cause infertility include:
- Distorted anatomy of the pelvis ;
- Alteration of the egg quality ;
- It affects the hormonal environment of the eggs ;
- Damages the fallopian tubes and ovaries ;
- Inflamed pelvic structure.
Endometriosis Treatment Options
Although we have highlighted a few of the possible treatments for endometriosis, let’s take a deeper dive into how they work. To add to that, no scientific study has proven that medicines can improve the chances of a person with endometriosis getting pregnant. Other possible remedies for this condition are:
Keyhole Surgery
Surprisingly, most women prefer keyhole surgery to treat endometriosis because the risk is lower. With keyhole surgery, the deposits of endometriosis and the tissue can be removed from the surface of the womb, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. The surgeon doesn’t have to make large incisions in the body to remove the endometriosis tissues. Nevertheless, keyhole surgery is suitable for women with mild endometriosis.
Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART)
Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) like Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) or In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) have been proven to be one of the best treatments for endometriosis-related infertility in women. More so, the IUI has been recommended by experts for milder endometriosis. Also, if the woman’s partner has a sufficient sperm count, then the IUI is preferable. In addition, the patient may be given some medication to stimulate the ovaries.
Meanwhile, IVF is used in cases where endometriosis is severe. This process requires collecting eggs from the woman’s ovaries and fertilizing them with her partner’s or a donor’s sperm. The embryos created will be replaced with those in her womb. IVF is more expensive compared to IUI.
Conclusion
There is more awareness about endometriosis these days compared to the past. You can join the hashtags on various socia
l media platforms that discuss endometriosis. Furthermore, aside from the symptoms, the best way to discover if you have endometriosis or not is to visit a fertility clinic.
A physical examination and other kinds of tests at a clinic will be carried out. After the diagnosis, depending on the severity of the endometriosis condition, the medical expert will recommend a treatment suitable for you. Finally, if you have endometriosis, it doesn’t mean that you can get pregnant. It may delay the process of becoming pregnant and make it difficult.
