Endometriosis – Symptoms, Risk Factors and Treatment

Endometriosis is a disease associated with pelvic pain and infertility. Endometriosis is a benign condition in which the tissue that normally forms the lining of the uterus (called endometrium) grows outside the uterus. Usually, this tissue occurs in Peritoneum, Ovaries, Fallopian Tubes, bladder, intestines, rectum & Cul-de-sac(The space behind the uterus).

Endometriosis affects about 1 in 10 women and is usually diagnosed in a woman’s 30s and 40s. This disease can cause pain, irregular bleeding, and infertility issues.

How does Endometriosis cause Problems?

Endometriosis implants react to changes in estrogen, a female hormone. It may develop and bleed like uterine lining does during menstrual cycle. The Breakdown and bleeding of this tissue every month also can cause scar tissue called adhesions to form. Bleeding, inflammation and scarring can cause pain before and during Period days.

What are the Symptoms of Endometriosis?

The most common symptom of endometriosis is Painful periods (dysmenorrhea). You may have moderate to severe Pelvic pain and cramping may start before your period and extend several days into your period. You may also have lower back and abdominal pain.

Painful intercourse:- Pain during or after sex is common in those who have endometriosis.

Excessive bleeding:- You may experience occasional heavy periods (menorrhagia) or bleeding between periods (menometrorrhagia).

Infertility:- Endometriosis is first diagnosed in some women who are seeking treatment for infertility.

Other symptoms:- You may also experience fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, bloating or nausea, especially during menstrual periods.

Who is at risk to have endometriosis?

Women with certain forms of congenital uterine abnormality which obstruct normal outflow of menstrual bleeding are at risk to have endometriosis. The risk of developing endometriosis is high in women in which there is an early onset of first mense and those who have a problem of frequent menstrual cycles. Endometriosis mostly occurs in those women who have never had given birth to a child. Pregnancy has a protective effect. Women having a family history of endometriosis in her mother, sister, or daughter is also at high risk of getting this health problem.

How is Endometriosis diagnosed?

• Pelvic examination
• Ultrasound
• Laparoscopy
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Does endometriosis cause infertility?

Endometriosis is strongly associated with infertility. About 30% to 50% of infertile women have endometriosis and is usually at a more severe stage as compared to fertile women. Numerous research data support the conclusion that endometriosis decrease fertility. You can discuss this in detail at best infertility clinic at Chandigarh.

How does endometriosis cause infertility?

Two major theories have been proposed to explain how endometriosis leads to infertility.

When endometriosis proceeds from moderate to more severe stage, then the ovary becomes wrapped around or bound by adhesions. In a similar way, the neighboring fallopian tube often gets twisted or sometimes blocked. When the anatomy becomes so distorted, the egg now can no longer be picked up easily by the fallopian tube.

Excessive production of inflammatory chemicals

There are some specialized white blood cells in the pelvis that are shown to produce a number of inflammatory chemicals which are designed to reduce the growth of endometriosis. Unfortunately, these chemicals create a “hostile” environment in the pelvis and research has shown that these chemicals impair the normal functions of the ovary, tube, or the uterine lining and affect the survival of sperm, egg, and embryos as well.

Which treatment is right for me?

Treatment for endometriosis depends on some conditions such as how severe your symptoms are, whether you want to have children or not, ultrasound examination of the pelvis, the extent of the disease. If you have any surgical treatment in the past, then this will also be considered before giving any treatment. Jannee fertility centre provides the best treatment options.

With long standing infertility and advanced disease where there are extensive endometriosis lesions, severe scarring (adhesions), and/or the ovaries are completely immobilized and the tubes are destroyed beyond repair, treatment with hormonal birth controls for 6-8 weeks followed immediately by in-vitro fertilization is more appropriate and effective.