Endometriosis is an increasingly common disease that affects a woman’s reproductive organs, commonly the ovaries, fallopian tubes and pelvic cavity in general, and therefore often affects her fertility.
This type of disease is a condition in which tissue similar to that lining the inside of the uterus (called “endometrium”) implants outside the uterus. When endometriosis affects the ovaries, cysts called endometriomas are produced. One of the main complications of this disease is fertility problems since between one-third and one-half of women with endometriosis have some type of reproductive problem. One of the main symptoms is pelvic pain during the days of menstruation.
It is estimated that endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women during their reproductive years (i.e. between the ages of 15 and 49), which is equivalent to approximately 176 million women worldwide.
How is it diagnosed?
The most common symptoms are: painful menstruation, painful ovulation, pain during or after sexual intercourse, heavy bleeding, chronic pelvic pain, fatigue or infertility. Endometriosis is one of the most difficult diseases to diagnose because sometimes the patient has no symptoms or there are cases in which many patients associate the pain caused by premenstrual syndrome or menstruation. For this reason, it often goes unnoticed or is diagnosed in more advanced stages.
On the other hand, today, there is no known cure and, although endometriosis can be effectively treated with drugs, most treatments are not suitable for long-term use due to side effects. Surgery can help to remove endometriosis lesions and scar tissue, but success rates depend on the extent of the disease.
Pregnancy can alleviate symptoms, but it is also not the solution to alleviating this disease. The reality is that there is no definitive cure but there are several treatments that have been developed to try to attenuate the symptoms and their evolution.
Thanks to assisted reproduction treatments, many patients suffering from endometriosis are able to become pregnant.
FERTILITY PRESERVATION
Taking into account that endometriosis is a progressive disease and that age is a determining factor in becoming a mother, egg vitrification can be a solution to be able to “save” young eggs and use them in the future. At Ovoclinic we recommend opting for egg freezing before the age of 30, when women are at their most fertile and have better oocyte quality.
DID YOU MISS OUR TALK about ENDOMETRIOSIS?
Our gynecologist and fertility specialist, Dr. María José Bravo and the influencer and former IVF patient – Esther Corb – held a talk and a FAQs session in which the main topic was how endometriosis affects fertility. Don’t miss the video!
First visit free of charge.
We are waiting for you! 🙂
*Source: https://endometriosis.org/resources/articles/facts-about-endometriosis
