Introduction
If you have endometriosis, you know there is no shortage of information out there. And if you have endometriosis and are trying to get pregnant, well… it gets even worse. This can be really overwhelming, especially when you are worried about your fertility and just want to start a family.
We’re here to help. This guide covers everything from what infertility is and how it relates to endometriosis, medication options, treatment ideas, fertility success rates (the good news), pregnancy risks (the not-so-good news), and even tips for after birth!
The Basics
Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue that normally lines the uterus (the endometrium) grows outside of the uterus, causing inflammation and scarring. This can make it difficult to get pregnant and may even cause infertility.
There are many symptoms of endometriosis, including abdominal pain before or during menstruation, heavy periods, painful sex and painful bowel movements. If you have these symptoms but an ultrasound scan shows no uterine lining growths on your ovaries, then you may be suffering from endometriosis.
In some cases, endometriosis can be diagnosed by laparoscopy or pelvic exam; however these methods aren’t always accurate. There are also blood tests that can detect antibodies which increase when there’s too much estrogen in the body; this happens in case of endometriosis where there’s excessive production of estrogen due to high level secretion by fibroid tumors as well as from overgrowth by cells from ovaries or fallopian tubes.
More on endometriosis in the start here.
Endometriosis & Fertility
Because endometriosis is a chronic condition, it can cause infertility. It can also prevent you from getting pregnant in the first place or cause miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and early menopause.
While it’s not possible to completely rule out endometriosis as a factor in your infertility, don’t give up hope!
There are treatments available that may help you have a baby with your partner—and they could be just what you need to get started on that family of yours.
Pregnancy
Like all pregnancies, getting pregnant with endometriosis is not a guarantee of a healthy baby. While the majority of women with endometriosis can and do go on to have healthy pregnancies, research has shown that there are some risks associated with pregnancy for women with this condition.
For example:
- The risk of miscarriage is higher than in the general population (25 percent vs 15 percent).
- The risk of stillbirth is higher than in the general population (1 per 1000 compared to 0.5 per 1000).
- The risk of preterm birth is higher than in the general population (15 percent vs 7 percent).
If you are thinking about having children, it’s important to talk to your doctor about any concerns you may have and discuss possible steps they may recommend before getting pregnant.
There is good news: you can get pregnant
There is good news: you can get pregnant. In fact, many women with endometriosis do go on to have children of their own.
If you are in a committed relationship and want to get pregnant, it’s important to discuss your fertility concerns before starting the process of trying to conceive—even if they seem insignificant or unreasonable at first blush. Your partner should understand that endometriosis affects your body differently than other women, so he needs to be patient when it comes to time frames for conception and pregnancy.
If you’re single and ready for children but haven’t found the right partner yet (or even if you have!), don’t give up hope just yet; there are options available that many people don’t think about when they think about infertility treatments and fertility problems like endometriosis. For example: sperm donation! Sperm banks provide sperm samples from men around the world who are willing—and often eager—to help out by donating their genetic material so other couples can start families together (this means both male-female couples as well as same-sex ones). These services aren’t just for heterosexuals either; lesbian couples may also be interested in exploring this option if they’re having trouble conceiving naturally due to things like endometriosis affecting one or both partners’ reproductive systems.”
Conclusion on endometriosis & fertility
We hope that this information has been helpful to you! The best thing is that there are many options for people with endometriosis who want to have children. We’re not going to sugarcoat it—there is still more research needed into this topic.
For now, though, what we can do is share these tips and let everyone know that there is hope if you or someone you love is suffering from endometriosis and wants a baby in their future!