Discover About Endometriosis and Infertility
If you know anybody with endometriosis you might know that it could cause agonizing cramping during their menstrual cycle. In reality, some ladies are fully hamstrung by this discomfort. But what’s endometriosis and why do we care?
Endometriosis is when the endometrial lining from the uterus is located growing elsewhere in the body. Frequently it’s found growing on the ovaries or somewhere else in the stomach and the agony that girls feel is often because these cells are doing their job each month by shedding along with the endometrial lining in the uterus. Wonderful how those crazy cells know their job even if they are in the wrong place!
The other reason we care about endometriosis is that it is a common finding with girls who are infertile. It’s thought that 5-10% of ladies could have endometriosis, but it’s’s thought that twenty percent of girls who are unable to conceive have endometriosis.
So how do you know if you have endometriosis - or endo? Some women might suspect they have endo due to intense cramping during their menstrual cycle. But there are other symptoms, too. Some women do not have any cramping during their cycle . Some girls have back pain. Some ladies may have discomfort during intercourse. Some ladies may have pain during stools or urinating. Are you seeing a trend? Of course, the flip side of the coin is that you might not have any symptoms.
I speak from experience here. I had none of the classic symptoms of endo except that I wasn’t able to fall pregnant. How is endo diagnosed? A laparoscopy is the only way to really diagnose endo because it doesn’t show up on any test. A lap is done under general anesthesia with a scope put in through a small incision under your navel. Another incision is made at your bikini line which allows the doctor to use a tool to move things around if need be. Once the scope is on the doctor can have a look around and if the endo or other scaring is present they can remove it.
Endo is ’scored’ in stages from 1-4 based primarily on the location and a complicated point system. Just so you know, when you wake up in recovery and your doctor gives you this number it will not translate to how much agony you have been in. It will just give you an idea of how broad the endometriosis was in your system. That is’s all.
What you will actually need to talk to with your GP is the way the removal of the endo will affect your fertility. Many girls find the next 3 to 4 cycles after they’ve recovered are their most cosy and their doctor may want to take advantage of the removal of the endo and push ahead. Continuing with interuterine insemination ( IUI ) is a smart idea or perhaps heading off to in vitro fertilization ( IVF ) - just depending on what you’re most comfortable with - because even though the endo has been removed there’s no way to truly know how endo affects fertility. Doctors all have good guesses but there is not any answer yet. One answer is there though - now the endo is removed you will feel better and now you know one of the likely reasons you were not ready to get pregnant on your own.
So, let your physician give you good counsel . Find out what you can about endometriosis because it is possible to Conquer barrenness.
Alana Reyer is an infertility expert. For more great information on symptoms of infertility, visit http://www.infertilityhelp-alana.com/fsh-and-fertility/.
