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What is endometriosis?

10% of women suffer from endometriosis, yet this common condition is often ignored, misdiagnosed or misunderstood both by those who have it and by health professionals.

Put simply, endometriosis is a condition in which the same cells which form the endometrium (lining of the womb) grow outside of the womb, most commonly in the pelvis in places such as on the ovaries, bowel, bladder, cervix, vagina and fallopian tubes. It can be extremely painful and directly impact fertility, yet there are several ways to manage and even treat it.

Doctors are not 100% sure what causes endometriosis, but one theory is that the endometrial cells move from the womb down the fallopian tubes and out into the abdomen where they attach and grow outside of the uterus.

Symptoms

Each case of endometriosis is individual so the experience for each woman varies. But it is possible to experience some (and possibly all) of the following symptoms:


  • Pelvic pain
  • Infertility
  • Painful intercourse (dyspareunia)
  • Constipation
  • Bloating
  • Bowel discomfort
  • Diarrhoea
  • Heavy and/or irregular periods
  • Lack of energy
  • Back pain
  • Rectal pain and/or rectal bleeding
  • Pain when passing urine
  • Blood in the urine

How is endometriosis diagnosed?

Symptoms are one way to identify if you might have endometriosis, and it is also possible to check via an ultrasound. When performing an ultrasound, the doctor will look for a particular type of ovarian cyst (called an endometrioma), as well as endometriosis growths or scar tissue. This can help with diagnosis but the only completely accurate way to check for the presence of endometriosis is by a procedure called a laparoscopy.

A laparoscopy requires a general anaesthetic and keyhole surgery through two to four small incisions in your abdomen. The endometriosis can often be carefully removed surgically at the same time as the diagnosis is made.
People diagnosed with endometriosis are still able to conceive. But endometriosis is a common cause of infertility as it can distort the ovaries and fallopian tubes and cause the body to resist or reject foreign material such as sperm.

Endometriosis growth also produces a whole series of chemical substances (called cytokines or interleukins) that are thought to contribute to infertility. Under the influence of these chemicals, ovulation and egg quality may be impaired, sperm may not function well in the environment and embryos can find it harder to implant.

If you know or suspect that you have endometriosis, consulting a doctor for review before trying to conceive is highly recommended.

FAQs

How is endometriosis treated?

In addition to surgically removing the endometriosis during a laparoscopy, hormonal treatments can be used to suppress endometriosis. The problem with the hormonal treatments is that they stop ovulation and therefore a woman cannot become pregnant whilst taking them.

However, if you are struggling to get pregnant and believe endometriosis is part of the problem, there are a range of fertility treatments that can support conception. So, get in touch to see how we can help. A number of our Fertility Specialists specialise in endometriosis.

Please also note that pregnancy is unfortunately not a cure for endometriosis and about 50% of women have recurring symptoms of the condition after giving birth.

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