The connection between endometriosis and fertility is complex. It affects your fertility in multiple ways. It forms scar tissue that can stick your pelvic organs together, inflammation that affects egg quality, and dyspareunia that can make intercourse painful and, thus, less frequent.
Can Endometriosis Cause Infertility?
When pregnancy becomes a struggle, it’s natural to think about everything that could be going wrong. A gynecologist recommends multiple tests to determine the underlying factors that contribute to your infertility.
Among the many gynecological and reproductive issues that can interfere with a woman’s ability to conceive, endometriosis remains a commonly misunderstood and often undiagnosed condition. We’ll take a closer look at what endometriosis is, how it affects your fertility, and when you need endometriosis treatment in Mulund.
Endometriosis: How Common Is It?
According to research by the World Health Organization, endometriosis affects 10% of women in their reproductive years. Sadly, many cases remain undetected until the woman tries to conceive without success.
A common reason for misdiagnosis is that symptoms are either brushed off as “a normal part of menstruation” or confused with other gynecological or digestive issues.
In simple words, it’s a condition in which tissues similar to your uterine lining (endometrium) begin growing outside the uterus. The most common places these tissues are found are your ovaries, fallopian tubes, ligaments, and other pelvic structures.
When your period arrives, these tissues respond in the same manner as your uterine lining. They bleed, but unlike normal endometrial tissue, these tissues have nowhere to go. This causes scars, inflammation, and ovarian cysts.
Is Endometriosis the Reason Behind Your Infertility?
Around 30-50% of women diagnosed with endometriosis face infertility. That said, endometriosis alone can’t always be the cause of infertility. A woman’s fertility depends on many factors, which include her age, ovarian reserve, partner’s sperm health, whether both fallopian tubes are open, any existing medical condition, and her overall reproductive health.
Many gynecologists in Mulund believe that mild to moderate endometriosis with only a few endometrial-like tissues found in certain spots may not cause fertility challenges. Severe endometriosis can, however, affect fertility.
Here’s how endometriosis can lead to infertility.
Scar Tissue
Endometriosis is associated with scar tissue formation. This scar tissue can cause your pelvic organs to stick together, affecting their anatomy.
The scarring and inflammation can affect your ovaries and fallopian tubes, too. When that happens, these organs may become distorted. As a result, the sperm and egg may not meet.
Reduce Egg Quality
Inflammation in the ovaries can affect egg quality before ovulation. It can contribute to oxidative stress, which can further affect the follicles and increase the risk of DNA damage in the eggs. Lower egg quality can directly impact fertilization.
Even when a poor-quality egg is fertilized, the chances that it will become a healthy embryo are significantly lower than those of a healthy egg. Additionally, some women with endometriosis develop ovarian cysts called endometriomas. These are also linked to reduced egg quality and increased damage to the ovarian tissue over time.
Painful Intercourse
Pain during sex, also called dyspareunia, doesn’t directly affect your reproductive function, but the discomfort can lead to less frequent intercourse. The difficulty in timing your intercourse according to ovulation, as well as having less frequent intercourse, can indirectly make conception harder.