What are the 3 types of IVF?

The three main approaches to IVF that involve no or fewer drugs are natural cycle IVF, mild stimulation IVF and in vitro maturation (IVM).

What is the best age to have IVF?

With that said, IVF success rates are highest for women under the age of 35 but women in their late 30s and early 40s can also have successful pregnancies.

How painful is IVF treatment?

This process is not painful. However, we may have patients take an oral sedative prior to the transfer to relax the cervix.

What are the 5 stages of IVF?

Medication, Harvest the eggs, Fertilization, Embryo culture, and Embryo transfer.

Can I travel after IVF?

Can I fly after IVF embryo transfer? There is no evidence that travel impacts IVF pregnancy rates.

Does Endometriosis Cause Infertility?

This is a question that is commonly asked by women who have to deal with the horror of suffering from endometriosis. To answer this very important question, we first need to understand what endometriosis is and how it impacts fertility.

Understanding Endometriosis - A Brief Overview

Endometriosis is a condition that affects women in particular. Male anatomy and female anatomy are built differently, and what enables women to have babies is that they have a uterus. And endometriosis is a condition that directly affects the uterus. The tissue lining the uterus is called an endometrium, and this tissue is normally shed during periods when women lose unfertilized eggs during each cycle. In certain cases, tissue similar to an endometrium grows outside the uterus and plants itself around the ovaries or the fallopian tubes, causing painful inflammation and scarring. There can be the presence of cysts in this condition. This particular condition is known to cause very painful and heavy periods as well as become an underlying cause of infertility in women.

Characteristic Symptoms of Endometriosis-

Pain: one of the most basic symptoms of endometriosis is pelvic pain. Women with endometriosis are known to experience severe, unbearable pain that sometimes may land them in the emergency room.

Irregular menses: another key symptom is irregular periods; endometriosis will impact the regular menstrual cycle and result in irregular periods, which in turn can affect ovulation.

Pain during intimacy: women with endometriosis may experience pain during intercourse.

Pain during bowel movements or while urinating: This may occur, especially during menstruation, when the endometrial tissue tends to be inflamed and swollen, causing distress and pain.

Apart from these, women may experience fatigue, loose motion, constipation, and nausea as well. Endometriosis is also known to affect immunity in some cases, which in turn makes the woman susceptible to other diseases and becomes a medical risk.

Stages of endometriosis –

Endometriosis is evaluated through four specific stages that gradually progress from the first to the fourth-

Stage 1- (Minimal) is the initial stage in which the tissue implants are few and the uterus does not scar. This is the first stage, and early diagnosis and intervention will be beneficial in treating and managing the condition.

Stage 2- (Mild) There are more implants than in stage 1, but there are no scar tissues. It involves less than 2 inches of the abdomen.

Stage 3- (Moderate) At this stage, we may find many tissue implants in the abdomen that have settled deep and created pockets of endometriotic fluid in the ovaries. This stage will also have scars in and around the ovaries and the fallopian tubes.

Stage 4 will have significantly larger tissue implants with possible large endometriotic cysts in the ovaries. There may be lots of scarring around the uterus and the rectum, as well as around the ovaries and the fallopian tubes.

These are the main stages of endometriosis, and each stage is accompanied by a significant upward progression of the tissue implant. Consequently, these stages will also be relevant when treating endometriosis and will significantly impact the chances of reviving fertility.

Endometriosis and fertility: what connects them-

Endometriosis is one of the common causes of infertility in women. Scientific data reveals that between 30-50% of women dealing with endometriosis may experience infertility at the time of conception. Endometriosis can cause infertility in women because it affects certain aspects that have a direct impact on conception and fertility. Here is a list of these aspects-

Hormone imbalance: endometriosis causes an imbalance in hormones, which again is very crucial for ovulation and conception.

Ovary function: endometriosis can also cause ovarian cysts, which may affect the quality as well as the quantity of eggs, which again affects fertility.

Affects pelvic anatomy: endometriosis can cause scarring and distortion of the pelvic anatomy, which in turn affects the movement of the sperm while it tries to reach the egg or the movement of the egg as it travels through the fallopian tube.

Compromised immunity: Women with endometriosis may experience an altered immune system, which may potentially increase their risk of acquiring other diseases. This can also affect the implantation of the egg and the sperm, disrupting the process of conception.

In the field of medical science, it is a known fact that endometriosis causes infertility. Therefore, women need to look out for signs of endometriosis and seek immediate medical advice if they think they experience any or all of the symptoms.

A silver lining-

For women who have endometriosis, it is a respite that can be managed medically, and the issue of infertility can be addressed through endometriosis treatment and medical intervention. Though there is no single cure for endometriosis, depending on the stage and the age of the woman, any visible endometriosis can be surgically removed. This can be attempted on women below the age of 35 and is known to have positive results in treating infertility. However, it should also be noted that for some women, the cysts may be recurring, and this can cause loss of eggs and make it harder to conceive.

When it comes to endometriosis and fertility, women in stage 1 and stage 2 have a higher chance of becoming pregnant naturally on their own through proper management and regulation of their health. If it is stage 3 or stage 4, the chances of reviving your fertility become higher once you have surgically removed the implants and the scar and cysts have been removed. It is done under complete medical supervision and with a deeper understanding of the person's fertility, ovulation and the health of their ovary. Suppose you are suffering from endometriosis and are searching for an "endometriosis specialist near me". In that case, you are on the right path to diagnosing and dealing with your fertility issue because identifying the issue is the first big step towards solving it.