What Is Endometriosis and How Does It Affect My Ability To Get Pregnant?
Posted: Monday, June 21, 2010
by Hanna Hamelsford
The Online Pregnancy Guide
If you are enduring or have suffered from Endometriosis in the past, you may be worried about your ability to conceive and carry your pregnancy full term. Knowing about endometriosis and pregnancy, and trying suitable treatments for it are some of the many positive steps that you can take to improve your health and chances of becoming pregnant.
Endometriosis is a common condition affecting millions of women all over the planet. Around 15 % of women and girls in the United States and Canada are affected, and there are over 2 million reported cases of endometriosis in the United Kingdom. Endometriosis causes small deposits of the endometrial material, which lines the uterus, to lodge in the ovaries, Fallopian tubes, abdominal cavity and other organs in the lower abdomen. These accumulations of endometrial tissue grow and bleed in response to the normal hormonal changes that take place during your monthly menstrual cycle. As the endometrial tissue bleeds, it causes inflammation. The resulting inflammation causes scarring and blood-filled cysts to form around the uterus, ovaries and Fallopian tubes. These cysts and scarring can affect a woman's fertility by preventing the passage of the egg from the ovary to the Fallopian tubes. Many women that suffer from endometriosis experience discomfort.
The medical community divides the severity and diagnosis of endometriosis into four stages:
* Stage 1 : Endometriosis in stage one is classified as minimal there are isolated incidents of endometrial tissue growth outside the uterus.
* Stage 2 : Endometriosis in stage two is considered mild a doctor makes this diagnosis when there are several small implants of endometrial tissue and a few small areas of scar tissue or adhesions.
* Stage 3 : Stage the endometriosis is moderate the endometrial tissue implants in stage three must be superficial and deep. There must also be several prominent areas of scar tissue or adhesions.
* Stage 4 : This is the most severe stage of endometriosis Patients with stage 4 endometriosis will have many superficial and deep endometrial tissue implants as well as large adhesions. Endometriosis symptoms including infertility are common in patients with stage four endometriosis.
What causes endometriosis?
Modern medicine has been unable to conclusively work out the exact cause of endometriosis; however there are a few theories which can help to explain why endometriosis occurs. One explanation for endometriosis is retrograde menstruation' in which some menstrual tissue "backs up" into the Fallopian tubes during the menstrual period and imbeds itself in the abdomen. If the immune system does not get rid of the endometrial tissue, it begins to grow in response to the body's normal hormonal changes. Another theory explains endometriosis as a dysfunction of the lymphatic system, and suggests that the condition is genetic. Another theory states that endometriosis is caused by the retention of fragments of embryonic tissue from when the woman was in utero.
Endometriosis and Pregnancy
Critical endometriosis can lead to problems with fertility and getting pregnant because of the damage that it inflicts on the reproductive organs. Women with mild cases of endometriosis are less likely to experience problems with fertility and conception. Dr. Karen Trewinnard, in her work on fertility and conception, says that many women have had endometriosis without any ill effects, and that about 7 out of 10 women with endometriosis don't have fertility problems, or are able to conceive with the help of natural remedies. Dr Trewinnard goes on to discuss that women who suffer from endometriosis may be less likely to conceive because they avoid sex around the time of their ovulation, which is when the pain can be most severe.
Endometriosis often dramatically improves during pregnancy because ovulation ceases, and the deposits of endometrial tissue are able to shrink, or even breakdown completely. Women, with endometriosis, who breastfeed after pregnancy, have a higher improvement rates because there is no ovulation during breast feeding.
For all the latest info about Endometriosis and Pregnancy head to TheOnlinePregnancyGuide.com. Find out how to get pregnant if you suffer from endometriosis .
Hanna Hamelsford
The Online Pregnancy Guide
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Very timely article for me as my daughter has this condition. Very informative and easy to understand.Thank you very much, I am glad that you found this information accessable, that is one of my main aims in my writing :-)
Helpful article written for non-medical readers. Clear and concise.Thank you very much. Its great to get your feedback, and to know that my writing is clear and concise, which is exactly what I am aiming for! Thank you
vey interesting article for a male to read. I enjoyed reading your articleI am glad that you found this article interesting, Thank you very much for your feedback
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