Endometriosis can affect fertility, making it difficult for some women to conceive. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a baby. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 10% (190 million) people of reproductive age have endometriosis. The condition causes endometrial tissue, which sheds during menstruation, to grow outside of the uterus in other parts of the body. Endometriosis can lead to infertility or make having a baby more difficult in many ways — but it’s not impossible!
Our OB/GYN team offers treatment options for endometriosis and infertility at Memorial Women’s Specialists in Houston, Texas.
How endometriosis affects fertility
Like many health challenges, endometriosis affects everyone differently. If you have endometriosis, your fertility may be affected if endometrial tissue grows on one or both ovaries or blocks your fallopian tubes. If one or both fallopian tubes are partially blocked due to your endometriosis, it can make conception more difficult.
Getting pregnant is a complex and multifaceted process. Even if you have no issues getting pregnant, endometriosis can also affect other stages of the process.
With a normal menstrual cycle, your body sheds the endometrial lining every month if you’re not pregnant. However, when you have endometriosis, the additional menstrual tissue becomes inflamed but doesn’t have anywhere to go, causing pain, scar tissue, and infertility in some cases.
If you have endometriosis and want to get pregnant, give us a call to discuss your options. While there is no “cure” for endometriosis, treatment options can manage your symptoms. We can also help you get pregnant with hormonal treatments or surgery to remove scar tissue. IVF is also an option for people struggling to get pregnant due to endometriosis.
If you’ve been trying to get pregnant for more than six months without success, contact Memorial Women’s Specialists to schedule a consultation. While endometriosis can make getting pregnant and having a baby more difficult, it’s not impossible, and you shouldn’t get discouraged or give up.
Treatment options for endometriosis
Unfortunately, there’s no cure for endometriosis, but your symptoms can be treated and managed successfully. Hormonal birth control and non-hormonal intrauterine devices (IUD) are commonly prescribed to help manage endometriosis pain and symptoms.
In severe cases, surgery may also be an option, but it’s usually considered the last resort after other treatment options have failed or become ineffective.
Our OB/GYN team offers comprehensive care and will work with you to find the best treatment for your circumstances and family planning goals. If you have endometriosis and want to have a baby, we can help.
For more information about how endometriosis affects fertility and the treatment options we offer at Memorial Women’s Specialists, contact us today to schedule an appointment with an OB/GYN at our office in Houston.