Planning a Baby  Discussion Forum

Dear Archie,

I am a regular visitor of this site and a fan of yours. I have a query on endometriosis - hope you will clear up my doubts.

I want to know how endometriosis affects fertility. Recently during an abdominal + pelvic ultrasound I came to know that I have endometriosis, although I have no apparent symptoms of it ! My periods are regular, I have no pelvic pain, no heavy bleeding, nothing. Now I am slightly worried about it.

I have a friend, who also has endometriosis ( again no obvious symptoms) and she had no problem in conceiving. She is a proud mother of a healthy baby. So should I assume that endometriosis doesn't affect fertility that much...or may be she had mild form of endo. She got it removed surgically. Can it reappear ?

And I also want to know if there is any treatments available to cure this ? And why does it happen ? By the way, I am 27.

Please, clear my doubts.

Thanks,
Aahna archie replied. Aahna,
tough to answer your last query as it's difficult to pin point one of the several reasons might suit to you.

but endometriosis can affect fertility provided it's medium to severe. If it's mild there is a possibility that you may conceive without trouble.

you should have a second opinion from another Dr. on this finding -asymptomatic endometriosis, if it's there and you are serious about getting pregnant then watch out you don't take more than 3-4 cycles to conceive, of course play around ovulation and then only consider failure in 3-4 cycles be a serious issue. If you don't conceive you would need treatments and they are available. Normally for serious degree surgical intervention is an option but it can recur but in mild degree there is much more possibility that you will get it treated for the moment. whether it will recur is not easy to answer unless one knows the degree of severity and treatment chosen.

Archie