How Does Endometriosis Cause Infertility and What Can I Do About it?
You may have been told that the reason you can’t get pregnant is because you have endometriosis, and now you want know what it is and if there is anything you can do. You first have to understand both endometriosis and infertility.
The word endometriosis is based on the word endometrium, which is the medical term for the lining of the uterus. This lining normally lines the inside of the uterus, but in cases of endometriosis, the lining grows outside of the uterus. As you will see, this can cause many problems, among which is infertility. There is a very close correlation between endometriosis and infertility.
In the normal menstrual cycle, if no egg was fertilized during the cycle, all of the tissue that was developed to accept the fertilized egg dissolves and is expelled, causing a woman’s menstrual period. The body also tries to expel the endometrium that has formed outside of the uterus, but since it is outside the uterus, it becomes trapped and causes scar tissue, cysts or adhesions that may bind parts of the reproductive organs together.
In many cases, this is an extremely painful condition, and so a woman may be alerted to the fact that she has endometriosis long before she attempts to become pregnant. This is because many women will go to see their doctor due to the pain, and the doctor’s examination reveals a diagnosis of endometriosis. Or, the woman may have had some other surgical procedure and the doctor saw that there was endometrial tissue in her pelvic area.
Besides the pain, the other signals that you may have endometriosis are painful periods. Yes, that is an oxymoron, since most periods are painful, but a woman with severe endometriosis will experience abnormally painful periods as well as extraordinarily heavy blood flow. In addition, many women may experience pain in the pelvic area, even outside of the time of the menstrual cycle.
And, of course, one of the other important indicators of endometriosis is infertility. Although some women with endometriosis may never experience infertility problems, as many as half of the woman with this condition have trouble getting pregnant. As a matter of fact, endometriosis is probably one of the leading causes of infertility.
Fertility problems due to endometriosis increase with age, so any woman who knows she has this condition should try to become pregnant sooner rather than later. There are even some who theorize that pregnancy relieves endometriosis.
The primary treatment for endometriosis if you are trying to get pregnant is laparoscopic surgery. The surgery removes the scar tissue, therefore improving the chance of pregnancy by opening up the channels for the egg to flow through the fallopian tube to the uterus. . There are drug treatments, but these are not safe for pregnant women, so cannot be used if you are trying to become pregnant In addition, a doctor may prescribe infertility drugs to additionally improve the egg count and therefore further improve the chances of a successful pregnancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
Can you have ovarian cysts, fibroids and endometriosis all at once?
I have Pcos (Polycstic Ovarian Syndrome) but I also have symptoms of Endometriosis and fibroids too. Is it possible to have all 3 at one time? If anyone knows please let me know! (I have a dr appointment coming up) but just curious now! Thanks!-
ANSWER:
These conditions are linked to an underlying gluten intolerance. I have just discovered that I am gluten intolerant and suffered from endometriosis all my child bearing years. I also had a large fibroid. Nobody told me that I might be gluten intolerant, but I’ve been doing a lot of research since discovering this and I now know these conditions are linked to gluten intolerance. many people are GI but simply don’t know it as doctors are only familiar with celiac disease which is an allergy to gluten rather than just an intolerance. Gluten is found in wheat, oats, barley and rye. I’ve been gluten free for 4 months now and feeling better than I have done in years. If you go on a gluten free diet, you will probably heal your conditions.http://www.soulcysters.net/pcos-linked-gluten-allergy-284647/
http://ezinearticles.com/?Endometriosis-Pain-and-Unexplained-Infertility-Linked-to-Wheat-(AKA-Gluten)&id=1498863
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QUESTION:
Am I likely to have trouble conceiving with a tilted uterus and a family history of fibroids & endometriosis?
I am 19 (almost 20) years old and engaged. I am still in school and do not want to try for a baby until I am done or in my last year of school (which could be anywhere from 3-5 years). I had very bad menstrual cramps from the age of 14 on and would routinely miss a day of school every time my period started. I now have a mirena and I don’t have to worry about that anymore because I don’t really get periods.
BUT when my mirena was placed I was told that I had a tilted uterus. My mother says that she had a tilted uterus as well, and she had endometriosis and fibroids which led her to a hysterectomy at age 39. Both of her sisters, her mother, and her aunt have all suffered from either endometriosis, fibroids, or both. My mother and her sisters had no trouble at all while they were young (in fact the majority of their pregnancies were accidental!), but every woman in my family who has tried to conceive a child past her mid twenties has had a great deal of trouble (my aunt started trying for her 3rd child when she was 29 and didn’t get pregnant until she was 36). I am not sure at what age they developed endometriosis and if that was the cause of my mother’s tilted uterus or if it was tilted before her endometriosis developed. My nurse practitioner doesn’t seem to think I should worry about it. But with the combination of painful periods and a tilted uterus, should I be getting ‘tested’ for endometriosis? I’m worrying that it is possible that I am developing endometriosis faster than other women in my family have and that when I try for a baby around the age of 24 or 25 I will have a long road of trying ahead of me!
Also, does anyone know how mirena might effect endometriosis, if at all?
Any input or stories about dealing with tilted uterus/endometriosis/fibroids while trying to conceive would be appreciated!
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ANSWER:
I have a tilted uterus and have had painful and heavy periods since I was 12 (when I wasn’t on the pill), but they aren’t caused by fibroids or endometriosis. It’s just the way I am. There was a time when titled uteruses were believed to be linked to infertility, but that’s pretty well been rejected by the medical community.None of these conditions were particularly problematic for me. I quit the pill @ 25 and was pregnant 3 months later.
Most of the time, the uterus will “un-tilt” itself early in the pregnancy. (Mine did). If it doesn’t, your doctor might manually manipulate it so that it will be in the correct position for delivery. That’s really the only complication.
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QUESTION:
Question about endometriosis and fibroids?
When I was younger 13-16 I had the most painful period cramps. I actually would pass out from the pain. My mom took me to a doctor a couple of times and I don’t remember them running any tests on me or being worried. They thought I could be anemic, but found that I wasn’t.It’s not nearly as painful now, but lately I have been hearing about endometriosis and fibroids which can cause very painful period cramps. So my question is why did doctors not check me for these things?
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ANSWER:
Because endometriosis tends to be something that grows in your body during your child-bearing years. It’s a lot less common in teenage girls.However, I’ve had it my whole life (unfortunately). Sometimes you just need to keep going back and seeing doctor after doctor until you find one who will listen to you.
Of course, if your period is less painful now than it used to be, then your chances of having endometriosis are very slim. It generally gets worse with age, not better.
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QUESTION:
what could it be pregnancy? endometriosis?? fibroids?
heres a little about myself for starters… ok… so im 27 i have 4 kids my last one was born feb 19 2010. i had my tubes tied in april of 2010. i am currently still breastfeeding her she is now going on 13 months. i have started my cycles in november 12 2010 then didnt have on in dec had one january 19 and then my last was feb 25 2011. now my hubby and i were extra friendly a few days ago, he works out of town so we get it when we can, anhow afterwards it hurt really bad felt like my uterus had been ran over by a truck. then its still been sore since. now im due to start anyday but i had a clear discharge with strings of blood in it yesterday and today its barely there when i wipe and only saw it once each day. technically i guess i would be considered late as of today but since im still bf i never know when it will show up… whats your thoughts on this?? thank you and feel free to ask me if i left any info out. id be happy to answer so i get a grip on what going on .. .thanks again-
ANSWER:
Well seeing as you had your tubes tied almost a year ago, I’d say it’s not pregnancy and it’s most likely something else and you should discuss it with your doctor.
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QUESTION:
Sudden change in period, extremely painful and heavy. Fibroids? Endometriosis?
My cycles since I can remember have always been six days long, the first 2 days very heavy bleeding, moderate bleeding the next two days and the last two days were very light. Even after having two children, my cycle has always returned to the same cycle within a couple of months following their birth.Last month, my period lasted 11 days, the first 5 being extremely heavy and finally tapering into a lighter flow the following 6 days. This month has resulted in the same start (day 4 of my cycle and all being very heavy.)
For those of you who have experienced endometriosis and/or fibroids (history in my family of both), is this a warning sign I need to be aware of? My fiance and I would like to attempt to have one more child and through past encounters with birth control, they’ve taken me into deep depressions as a result of the hormones. I don’t want to put an end to my periods all together at this point, but am seriously weighing my options.
Thank you in advance!
Mysti-
ANSWER:
Your guess about the causes is a good one. It could be either. If you are checked out and found NOT to have one of these, they should do a hormone panel to see if you have some abnormality, possibly even an ovarian tumor which affects your hormones.It COULD just be how your body works, unfortunately. Often, the endometrium (the tissue that bleeds), doesn’t exit the uterus fully, and continues to bleed. A D&C can bring relief, and even stop this altogether, or it may come back. The procedure is rather unpleasant, too. If the pill isn’t for you, there IS a drug that slows bleeding, usually used to stop hemorrhaging. Oxytocin is the one they usually give, I believe.
For temporary relief of bleeding, try lying down for a day or two, with a cold pack on your abdomen. Leave it on for 20 mins., then remove. Put it back after skin warms up again. Do this for a few hours and it often provides relief. Also, avoid drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen, which cause more bleeding. Use Tylenol instead.
See the link below for more explanations and treatment options.
P.S. The site below also mentions the procedure mentioned above (endometrial ablation). However, it states that this is NOT for anyone wishing to maintain her fertility, as it “destroys the lining of the uterus”). Since you mentioned wanting to have another child, this wouldn’t be good for you.
You might also want to reconsider having another child, as “loss of tonality” (or stretching) in the uterus, can cause excess blood loss, and even hemorrhage, esp. after childbirth. Sounds like you need a thorough gyn work-up! Good luck!
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