Endometriosis and infertility don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand

Endometriosis and infertility don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand


Endometriosis is a disease with potentially troubling outcomes for women trying to get pregnant. The condition, in which tissue grows abnormally outside of the uterus, affects between 5 and 10 percent of women and has long been blamed for many cases of infertility.

Now, a new study has found that an endometriosis diagnosis might not be such bad news for women trying to conceive.

The study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, analyzed data from more than 58,000 women and revealed that the risk for infertility from endometriosis is only half what scientists previously thought. The researchers also found that these women were only at a higher risk for infertility if they were younger than 35.

The key takeaway from the findings is that most women with endometriosis will be able to get pregnant and carry healthy babies to term.

Experts aren’t sure why the disease occurs, but they do know how it can cause infertility. Uterine tissue does not break down and shed because it’s outside the uterus, and the buildup can cause scar tissue. Also, an abnormal uterine lining in women with endometriosis may make it more difficult to get pregnant.

If you think you might have the condition, a simple procedure called a laparoscopy can determine a diagnosis by looking for and removing growths through a small incision in the stomach. There’s no cure, but laparoscopy can remove the growths and hormonal birth control can alleviate pain.

So if you have endometriosis, don’t despair. It’s not necessarily a determination of infertility and help is available.

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