Thinking about pregnancy is exciting, and most women think conceiving will be easy – but that's not always the case. If you're living with endometriosis, the thought of pregnancy may be stressful because it's not always a smooth road.
Just because the journey to fertility may be more challenging, however, you can still get pregnant with endometriosis; you have to take the proper steps.
Our team at New England Women's Healthcare specializes in problems like endometriosis and infertility. If you're looking to get pregnant but are struggling, our team of OB/GYN doctors provides you with tips and treatments.
Endometriosis is a widespread condition that is characterized when tissue similar to what lines the inside of the uterus grows elsewhere in the pelvis, often impacting a woman’s reproductive system. It affects up to 10% of women worldwide who are of reproductive age.
Endometrial tissue reacts similarly to what happens to the lining in the uterus. The tissue sheds and grows with the menstrual cycle, leading to various symptoms such as:
One of the common symptoms of endometriosis is trouble getting pregnant or infertility. Not everyone has severe symptoms, and some women get pregnant without any issues. But if you're living with symptoms and are struggling to get pregnant, it's an excellent time to seek expert treatment.
Endometriosis often causes fertility issues — but why? The endometrial-like tissue that grows outside the uterus attaches to structures like the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and other organs in the pelvis.
This endometrial tissue then leads to chronic inflammation. In turn, the inflammation makes it difficult for the sperm to get to the egg or for the fertilized egg to attach inside the uterus.
Even if the inflammation doesn't affect your fertility, it eventually causes scarring that can hinder conception. The constant growth and shedding of the endometrial-like tissue on the other structures in the pelvis leads to this scarring.
For example, scarring of the fallopian tubes may cause kinking or blockages in the tubes, which make it nearly impossible for the egg and sperm to meet. It also prevents the egg from reaching the uterus, further preventing pregnancy.
However, it's still possible to get pregnant with endometriosis. Some women get pregnant naturally without intervention, while others need assistance and fertility treatments to achieve pregnancy.
If you're struggling with infertility, don't lose hope yet. It's entirely possible to get pregnant even if you have endometriosis – you may need a little help.
The first step toward getting pregnant despite endometriosis is making lifestyle changes that decrease inflammation throughout the body. We often recommend the following lifestyle tips to increase fertility in women with endometriosis:
Although these changes help optimize your health and fertility, they're not always enough to help you get pregnant. We may recommend surgery for moderate to severe cases of endometriosis.
During surgery, we destroy the endometrial tissue that's growing outside of the uterus. This may decrease the number of lesions, which reduces inflammation and sometimes allows pregnancy.
If surgery doesn't work, we offer various fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), intrauterine insemination (IUI), and medications that increase the probability of pregnancy.
If you're living with endometriosis and struggling with infertility, don't hesitate to call our team at our Woburn or Wilmington, Massachusetts, offices or request an appointment here on the website.
