If you know any one with endometriosis you might know that it could cause agonizing cramping during their menstrual cycle. In fact, some girls are completely incapacitated by this discomfort. But what’s endometriosis and why do we care?
Endometriosis is when the endometrial lining from the uterus is found growing elsewhere in the body. Frequently it’s found growing on the ovaries or somewhere else in the abdomen and the agony that women feel is often because these cells are doing their job each month by losing together with the endometrial lining in the uterus. Fantastic how those silly cells know their job even when they are in the wrong place!
The other reason we care about endometriosis is that it is a common finding with girls that are sterile. It’s thought that 5-10% of women may have endometriosis, but it’s’s thought that twenty p.c. of women who are unable to conceive have endometriosis.
So how does one know if you have endometriosis – or endo? Some women might suspect they have endo due to intense cramping during their menstrual cycle. But there are more symptoms, too. Some ladies do not have any cramping during their cycle at all . Some girls have lumbar region pain. Some women could have agony during intercourse. Some women might have discomfort during stools or urinating. Are you seeing a trend? Of course, the flip side of the coin is that you might not have any symptoms.
I speak from experience here. I had not one of the classic signs of endo except that I was not able to become pregnant. How is endo diagnosed? A laparoscopy is the only possible way to truly diagnose endo because it doesn’t show up on any test. A lap is done under general anesthesia with a scope put in through a little incision under your navel. Another incision is made at your bikini line which allows the doctor to employ a tool to move things around if need be. Once the scope is on the doctor can take a look around and if the endo or other scaring is present they can remove it.
Endo is ’scored’ in stages from 1-4 based on the location and a complicated point system. Just so you know, when you wake up in recovery and your doctor gives you this number it will not translate into how much discomfort you’ve been in. It’ll just give you an idea of how broad the endometriosis was in your system. That’s’s all.
What you’ll actually need to talk to with your health practitioner is how the removal of the endo will have an effect on your fertility. Many girls find that the next 3 to four cycles after they have recovered are their most comfortable and their doctor may wish to exploit the removal of the endo and push ahead. Continuing with interuterine insemination ( IUI ) is an excellent idea or even heading off to in vitro fertilization ( IVF ) – just dependent on what you’re most comfortable with – because even though the endo has been removed there’s no way to really know how endo affects fertility. Doctors all have good guesses but there’s no answer yet. One answer is there though – now that the endo is removed you’ll feel better and now you know one of the likely reasons you weren’t able to get pregnant on your own.
So, let your physician give you good counsel. Discover what you can about endometriosis as it is feasible to Conquer infertility.
Alana Reyer is an infertility expert. For more great information on infertility stress, visit http://www.infertilityhelp-alana.com/signs-of-infertility/.