Can I Get Pregnant If I Have Endometriosis?

Are your monthly menstrual periods unusually painful? You might have a condition known as endometriosis. In addition to painful periods, endometriosis can result in fertility problems, making it more difficult for you to become pregnant.

At Women’s Health Partners of the Permian Basin, board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Mary Grace Bridges provides ongoing care and support to patients with endometriosis. Dr. Bridges treats patients at locations in Odessa and Midland, Texas.

If you’re living with endometriosis and are interested in getting pregnant, talk to Dr. Bridges about your plans. She can help you understand what your condition means for your fertility, and recommend reproductive medicine approaches that can help you achieve your goal.

What you need to know about fertility and endometriosis

Endometriosis can be a difficult condition to identify. Endometriosis occurs when your body grows endometrial tissue, the tissue that’s supposed to line your uterus, in other locations in your abdomen. If you have this condition, you might have a patch of endometrial tissue in one of your fallopian tubes, for example, or in your ovaries.

When you have a menstrual period, hormonal changes in your body cause endometrial tissue to shed. If you have endometrial tissue in locations other than your uterus, this can result in problems. Tissue needs to be able to exit your body, and may not be able to do so. You can suffer from pelvic pain and in-body scarring due to abnormal endometrial shedding.

Treatment for endometriosis typically focuses on relieving your pain and controlling your hormonal cycle. Hormonal birth control medications can help any scarring from getting worse. But, if you want to get pregnant after endometriosis, you might need additional support due to scarring or blockages in your reproductive system.

Getting pregnant after endometriosis

About 30-50% of people with endometriosis experience infertility as a complication of their condition. But, even if you’ve had severe endometriosis, don’t give up on your family planning goals! With today’s reproductive medicine techniques, even the most challenging situation can result in successful family expansion.

Dr. Bridges understands how personal and important your reproductive decisions and goals can be. She’s here to support you through fertility challenges with expert care and compassion. Depending on the way your endometriosis affects your reproductive system, your quest to get pregnant may benefit from interventions, such as:

• Egg freezing to preserve your ovarian reserve from the impact of endometriosis
• Fertility medications to increase your chances of getting pregnant
• In-vitro fertilization (IVF), an assisted reproductive technique that combines egg and sperm outside the body before direct implantation of an embryo in your uterus
• Superovulation and intrauterine insemination (SO-IUI), helpful if your fallopian tubes are damaged by endometriosis
• Counseling to help you understand your options for surrogacy or adoption

You should also know that, if you do get pregnant after endometriosis, your pregnancy carries a heightened risk of complications like preeclampsia and preterm delivery. Dr. Bridges continues to provide expert OBGYN support throughout your reproductive journey, essential for a high-risk pregnancy.

To learn more about getting pregnant and carrying a healthy pregnancy if you have painful periods or endometriosis, get in touch with Dr. Bridges and the Women’s Health Partners of the Permian Basin team. Schedule your initial consultation appointment online or over the phone today.