Endometriosis is a condition that often causes endometrial tissue to grow in areas outside of your uterus. This often leads to abnormal bleeding and pain during your menstrual cycle. Endometriosis can also make it difficult to become pregnant. There are ways, though, to still conceive when you have endometriosis.
At Collaborative Women’s Care, located in Miami, Florida, our team helps you understand your endometriosis and its role in infertility. Dr. Eduardo Valdes is our in-house obstetrics and gynecology expert, who gets you the treatment you need when endometriosis is causing problems.
Your uterus is an essential part of being a woman; it allows you to carry a child and if you’re not pregnant, it sheds its lining. The lining is known as the endometrium, and typically only grows inside of the organ.
However, with endometriosis, the endometrium grows in other areas of the body outside of your uterus. This usually happens in areas such as:
The cause of endometriosis is unknown. However, you’re more at risk for this condition if you have shorter-than-normal cycles or your period is extremely heavy. You also have a higher risk of the condition if your period started before you turned 11.
In most cases, endometriosis causes a number of different symptoms, including pelvic pain and infertility. It can also lead to other issues as well, including:
You may also notice that you have stomach pain and digestive issues, especially during your periods. Endometriosis causes bloating, diarrhea, and constipation, and often coincides with your menstrual cycle.
Endometriosis in itself doesn’t cause infertility. However, if you have the condition, it does make it harder for you to get pregnant. While the exact cause is different from person to person, some of the suspected causes include:
If you have endometriosis, any of the above problems can decrease your chances of getting pregnant. Whether you have a mild form of the disease or a severe bout, your fertility can be greatly affected due to other problems such as:
Endometriosis may also cause problems with egg growth. Although it may seem impossible, you can get pregnant if you suffer from endometriosis.
Your chances of getting pregnant with endometriosis relies on a number of factors, including your age and how severe your endometriosis is. In mild cases, Dr. Valdes may advise trying naturally for six months to a year before any intervention.
However, if you’re older and have a more advanced form of endometriosis, Dr. Valdes may perform a laparoscopy to assess the lesions in your abdomen and remove them if necessary.
Fertility treatments may also help you in your quest to conceive a child. This could include fertility drugs to trigger ovulation, along with procedures such as intrauterine insemination.
If those treatments are unsuccessful, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is often suggested as the next stage of treatment. This treatment requires you to inject fertility medications to grow healthy eggs. Once the eggs are mature, your doctor harvests them and fertilizes them with sperm to create embryos. The embryos are then placed strategically into your uterus in hopes of successful implantation.
If you’ve been trying to get pregnant without success and have abnormal symptoms, endometriosis may be the cause. Dr. Valdes and his team assess your symptoms and your menstrual cycles to determine if you could be suffering from endometriosis.
If you’re suffering from endometriosis and are having trouble getting pregnant, don’t hesitate to call our office in Miami, Florida today at 305-200-3878. You can also schedule a consultation using our convenient online booking tool.
