If you have endometriosis, you may be wondering how it will affect your fertility and if you will be able to become pregnant with endometriosis. According to Pennsylvania State College, endometriosis affects between 7 and 15 percent of women between 25 and 44 years old. This condition may run in families, meaning you are more likely to have endometriosis if your mother or your sister has this condition. Endometriosis occurs when cells that normally line the inside of the uterus begin growing outside the uterus.
Can You Get Pregnant With Endometriosis
The Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine, a medical clinic in Virginia, warns that endometriosis can cause infertility. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, almost 30 to 40 percent of women who have endometriosis may have problems becoming pregnant. However, many women with this condition do become pregnant, sometimes after medical treatments.
Placement of Cells
The location of the endometrial tissue growing outside the uterus plays a part in determining how this condition affects your ability to get pregnant. Endometriosis can cause scarring around the ovaries and fallopian tubes, impeding the normal process of ovulation.
Severity of Endometriosis
Your doctor may rate your condition from mild to severe, depending on the number and size of endometrial cells living outside your uterus. Untreated endometriosis may cause extensive scarring that can lead to problems with fertility. Unfortunately, your symptoms might not alert you to the severity of this condition. Some women have this disease without symptoms, while others may suffer high levels of pain and discomfort with mild cases.
Diagnoses of Endometriosis
If your doctor diagnoses you with endometriosis and you can’t seem to get pregnant, you may need additional testing to determine if your endometriosis is interfering with your fertility. Your doctor may want to perform a variety of tests, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), blood tests, biopsies or a computed tomography scan (CT scan) to determine the severity and location of your endometrial cells.
Treatment of Endometriosis
If your doctor suspects that your endometriosis is limiting your ability to become pregnant, he may want to perform some special procedures. Some women have the displaced tissue removed with an electrocautery device during a laparoscopic procedure. Although this is not a permanent solution, it may increase your odds of becoming pregnant. According to Penn State University, laparoscopic treatments produce a 40 to 70 percent rate of pregnancy in treated women.
What is “Endometriosis” and what is the “Endometriosis Symptoms”?
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