Pregnancy is the most beautiful thing, and it happens only to females. After all, they get to experience the movement of life inside them. But, if you have Endometriosis, you start worrying about the possibility of getting pregnant.
Are there any chances of getting pregnant and delivering a healthy baby, with Endometriosis being a common infertility issue?
The answer is yes. Many women in India are able to conceive and have a healthy baby, but the process may be difficult or take a long time for some women.
What is Endometriosis?
A unique tissue that forms the lining of the female uterus is known as Endometrium. The lining sheds off during your period, causing the bleeding.
When this tissue grows outside of the uterus in parts like ovaries, bowel or bladder, fallopian tubes, and on the lining of abdominal intestines, the condition is called Endometriosis.
If this tissue breaks and bleeds in those areas, it creates pain and unnecessary complications like scar tissue, adhesions, inflammation, cysts, and infertility.
Do You Fall in The Risk Category?
The most important effect of endometriosis is infertility. However, most women with mild endometriosis can get pregnant without treatment. Difficulty in getting pregnant is based on the severity of the condition and the location of excess tissue.
The exact cause of how endometriosis affects fertility is still a mystery, but there are some explanations.
- A well-known theory is that endometriosis causes a high level of inflammation inside the body. These inflammations damage a woman’s egg or a man’s sperm, thus preventing fertilization.
- The egg should travel from the ovary through the fallopian tube and implant itself in the uterus lining for fertilization. But, when you have endometriosis in the fallopian tube, then this excess tissue might stop the egg before reaching its destination. So, there is no egg or a damaged egg, so it is very difficult to get pregnant.
- Experts also suggest that endometriosis affects the immune system of women, causing it to attack the embryo instead of protecting it.
- The more endometrial tissue growth a woman has, the more likely she is to experience some fertility issues.
If you have endometriosis and have tried to get pregnant in the last six months and you have had no luck, then it’s time to visit a fertility specialist to discuss the right treatments.
Treatments for Endometriosis Related Infertility
There is no permanent cure for endometriosis. The doctor can analyse the severity of endometriosis, your age, and risk factors and suggest feasible treatments for endometriosis-related infertility. You also should consider the treatment costs and your partner’s preference before deciding on the right procedure.
1. Freezing your eggs:
Since endometriosis affects ovaries, the specialists suggest preserving your eggs if you want to get pregnant shortly. It might be a costly procedure.
2. Superovulation and intrauterine insemination (SO-IUI):
One can prefer SO-IUI if they have mild endometriosis, a fallopian tube with no scar tissues, and a partner’s sperm with no fertility issues.
The practitioner will prescribe certain fertility medications that will help in producing two to three matured eggs. After ensuring the egg’s maturity through ultrasounds, the doctor will insert your partner’s collected sperm within your uterus.
3. In vitro fertilization (IVF):
IVF is nothing but extracting your egg and your partner’s sperm, after which the egg is fertilized in the laboratory and again implanted within your uterus.
The success rate of IVF in women with endometriosis is about half the success rate of IVF in women with other fertility issues.
Still, many women with endometriosis were able to get pregnant because of the IVF treatments. For women who do not respond to other fertility treatments, the doctors recommend IVF as the final saviour.
4. Laparoscopic surgery:
For some women, removing the excess grown endometrial tissues with the help of laparoscopy can help improve the odds of getting pregnant.
5. Medications:
Medications like progestins increase the number of pregnancy hormones in the body, thus increasing the chances of conceiving.
Are there any ways to improve the chances of getting pregnant with endometriosis?
Yes, some of the following lifestyle changes can enhance your chances of pregnancy along with the procedures mentioned earlier.
- Maintaining a proper healthy weight
- Including nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins in the diet
- Regular exercises without stressing out your body.
Leading a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the inflammation inside the body and create a safer atmosphere for the baby to develop and grow throughout the pregnancy.
Conclusion
Many women with endometriosis were able to conceive and deliver a healthy baby. In India, fertility hospitals are on the rise, and the right doctor can suggest the best conception option for you before you start trying to get pregnant.
Since endometriosis increases the risk of miscarriage, pre-term birth, and bleeding, pregnant women with this condition are considered at higher risk. So, frequent and careful monitoring is needed throughout the pregnancy to find out any complications at an earlier stage.
