| You may have been told that the reason you can't | | | | Besides the pain, the other signals that you may |
| get pregnant is because you have endometriosis, and | | | | have endometriosis are painful periods. Yes, that is an |
| now you want know what it is and if there is | | | | oxymoron, since most periods are painful, but a |
| anything you can do. You first have to understand | | | | woman with severe endometriosis will experience |
| both endometriosis and infertility. | | | | abnormally painful periods as well as extraordinarily |
| The word endometriosis is based on the word | | | | heavy blood flow. In addition, many women may |
| endometrium, which is the medical term for the lining | | | | experience pain in the pelvic area, even outside of |
| of the uterus. This lining normally lines the inside of | | | | the time of the menstrual cycle. |
| the uterus, but in cases of endometriosis, the lining | | | | And, of course, one of the other important indicators |
| grows outside of the uterus. As you will see, this can | | | | of endometriosis is infertility. Although some women |
| cause many problems, among which is infertility. | | | | with endometriosis may never experience infertility |
| There is a very close correlation between | | | | problems, as many as half of the woman with this |
| endometriosis and infertility. | | | | condition have trouble getting pregnant. As a matter |
| In the normal menstrual cycle, if no egg was fertilized | | | | of fact, endometriosis is probably one of the leading |
| during the cycle, all of the tissue that was developed | | | | causes of infertility. |
| to accept the fertilized egg dissolves and is expelled, | | | | Fertility problems due to endometriosis increase with |
| causing a woman's menstrual period. The body also | | | | age, so any woman who knows she has this |
| tries to expel the endometrium that has formed | | | | condition should try to become pregnant sooner |
| outside of the uterus, but since it is outside the | | | | rather than later. There are even some who theorize |
| uterus, it becomes trapped and causes scar tissue, | | | | that pregnancy relieves endometriosis. |
| cysts or adhesions that may bind parts of the | | | | The primary treatment for endometriosis if you are |
| reproductive organs together. | | | | trying to get pregnant is laparoscopic surgery. The |
| In many cases, this is an extremely painful condition, | | | | surgery removes the scar tissue, therefore improving |
| and so a woman may be alerted to the fact that she | | | | the chance of pregnancy by opening up the channels |
| has endometriosis long before she attempts to | | | | for the egg to flow through the fallopian tube to the |
| become pregnant. This is because many women will | | | | uterus. . There are drug treatments, but these are |
| go to see their doctor due to the pain, and the | | | | not safe for pregnant women, so cannot be used if |
| doctor's examination reveals a diagnosis of | | | | you are trying to become pregnant In addition, a |
| endometriosis. Or, the woman may have had some | | | | doctor may prescribe infertility drugs to additionally |
| other surgical procedure and the doctor saw that | | | | improve the egg count and therefore further |
| there was endometrial tissue in her pelvic area. | | | | improve the chances of a successful pregnancy. |