Do Abnormal Pap Results Indicate Cancer?
With January marking Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, our compassionate and experienced women’s health specialists are answering all your questions about abnormal Pap smear results — and your next steps.
Endometriosis and Infertility: All Your Questions Answered
Endometriosis affects up to 11% of American women between the ages of 15 and 44. Having endometriosis can make it more difficult to get pregnant. Not only do women with endometriosis find it hard to conceive, but they may be more likely to suffer from a miscarriage. Between 30% and 50% of women with endometriosis suffer from infertility.
Endometriosis describes a condition in which uterine tissue grows outside of the uterus. It can adhere to fallopian tubes, ovaries, outside the uterus, and other areas, such as the vagina and rectum. Typical symptoms of endometriosis include painful menstrual cramps, pain during sex, bleeding or spotting between periods, digestive problems, and infertility.
Many women with endometriosis have children without difficulty, and others simply take longer to get pregnant or get pregnant with assistance. Endometriosis doesn’t mean you will never have children; it simply means it may be more difficult to conceive.
National Endometriosis Awareness Month is observed in March, so our team at OB/GYN Specialists wants to answer your questions about this condition and successfully treating it. We will do everything possible to help you achieve a healthy pregnancy.
Why endometriosis causes infertility
It’s not entirely clear why endometriosis affects a woman’s ability to become pregnant. In some cases, endometriosis can cause inflammation that prevents the sperm and egg from happily meeting during fertilization. Endometriosis may cause scarring and adhesions so the fallopian tubes and ovaries become blocked, also preventing the sperm and egg from meeting. Endometriosis may cause the immune system to attack the embryo, making it impossible to carry a fetus to term.
Endometriosis present on the ovaries may prevent eggs from being released or may result in eggs of poor quality, so there’s no hope of fertilization. Endometriosis may also prevent the endometrium — the lining of the uterus where implantation occurs — from developing properly, making it inhospitable to an embryo.
How to overcome infertility
Treatments can help a woman with endometriosis become pregnant and go on to have a healthy baby.
Specific hormonal medications can help temporarily stall ovulation and the growth of endometrial tissue. You’re in temporary menopause, but when you stop treatment with the medication, it can increase your chance of getting pregnant.
Surgery to remove endometrial tissue can restore your pelvic organs to their normal state. Surgery doesn’t guarantee a woman with endometriosis will become pregnant, but it does improve her chances.
The team at OB/GYN Specialists is ready to help women in the Denton, Texas, area overcome infertility due to endometriosis. No cure for endometriosis exists, but we work with you to find the most natural and minimally invasive approach to overcome infertility problems that result from the condition.
You Might Also Enjoy...
What Is Perimenopause, and How Long Does It Last?
You’re waking up drenched in sweat, your periods are erratic, and your mood swings are giving you whiplash — could you be entering perimenopause, which precedes menopause? Take a moment to learn about what to expect from this transitional phase.
Gestational Diabetes Diagnosis: From Normal to High-Risk Pregnancy
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy. And while it’s temporary, it does increase your risk of other pregnancy complications. Learn why and find out how to manage it to promote better health for you and your baby.
Why You Shouldn’t Skip Your Annual Mammogram
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and now is the time to prioritize your own health. Mammograms are key to early detection and successful treatment — so if you should be getting annual screenings, here’s why you shouldn’t skip them.
How PCOS Can Affect Your Health, Fertility, and Appearance (pegged to PCOS Awareness Month)
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex hormonal condition. It’s linked to symptoms ranging from infertility to excessive hair growth, and navigating it on your own can feel overwhelming. Learn some common symptoms and find support here.
I've Been Diagnosed with High-Risk HPV: Now What?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the country, and certain high-risk strains can increase your risk of cervical cancer. If you’ve been diagnosed with high-risk HPV, don’t panic. Here’s what to do next.