If you know anyone with endometriosis you might know that it could cause agonizing cramping during their menstrual cycle. In reality, some ladies are totally incapacitated by this discomfort. But what is endometriosis and why do we care?

Endometriosis is when the endometrial lining from the uterus is located growing somewhere else in the body. Often it’s found growing on the ovaries or elsewhere in the abdomen and the agony that ladies feel is perhaps because these cells are doing their job every month by shedding along with the endometrial lining in the uterus. Wonderful how those crazy cells know their job even when they’re in the wrong place!

The other reason we care about endometriosis is that it’s a common finding with women who are sterile. It’s thought that 5-10% of women might have endometriosis, but it’s’s thought that twenty p.c. of ladies that are unable to conceive have endometriosis.

So how do you know if you have endometriosis – or endo? Some women might suspect they have endo due to intense cramping during their menstrual cycle. But there are more symptoms, too. Some girls do not have any cramping during their cycle . Some women have back discomfort. Some girls might have agony during intercourse. Some women might have agony during stool movements or urinating. Are you seeing a trend? Of course, the flip side of the coin is that you might not have any symptoms.

I talk from experience here. I had none of the classic indications of endo except that I wasn’t ready to get pregnant. How is endo diagnosed? A laparoscopy is the sole way to truly diagnose endo because it doesn’t show up on any test. A lap is done under general anesthesia with a scope put in through a tiny incision under your navel. Another incision is created at your bikini line which permits the doctor to employ a tool to move things around if need be. Once the scope is on the doctor can take a look around and if the endo or other scaring is present they can remove it.

Endo is ’scored’ in stages from 1-4 based on the location and a complicated point system. Just so you know, when you wake up in recovery and your physician gives you this number it won’t translate into how much discomfort you have been in. It will just give you an idea of how broad the endometriosis was in your system. That is’s all.

What you’ll actually need to talk to with your health practitioner is the way in which the removal of the endo will impact on your fertility. Many girls find the next 3 to 4 cycles after they have recovered are their most comfortable and their doctor may wish to milk the removal of the endo and push ahead. Continuing with interuterine insemination ( IUI ) is an excellent idea or perhaps heading off to in vitro fertilization ( IVF ) – just depending on what you’re most happy with – because although the endo has been removed there’s no way to actually know how endo affects fertility. Doctors all have good guesses but there is not any answer yet. One answer is there though – now that the endo is removed you may feel better and now you know one of the likely reasons you were not able to get pregnant on your own.

So, let your physician give you good counsel . Discover what you can about endometriosis as it is feasible to Conquer infertility.

Alana Reyer is an infertility expert. For more great information on infertility solutions, visit http://www.infertilityhelp-alana.com/pcos-and-infertility/.