Around 25 million Indian women suffer from endometriosis, this is a study done by the Endometriosis Society of India. If you are having trouble getting pregnant, having painful menstrual periods and pelvic pain and have used your supreme deductive skills and have found that you might have Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a gynaecological condition in which extra tissue starts to grow on the rectum and reproductive organs such as ovaries or the pelvic lining. This tissue is made up of blood cells, glands, and connective tissues.
With time these tissues start to break down and grow thicker. These tissues slowly react to menstrual hormones and start to bleed.
Women with endometriosis can face problems in getting pregnant but still can realize their dream of having a baby through various hormone treatments, surgery, and the best one out of all fertility treatments like IVF.
But let’s first discuss how can we can properly diagnose this condition: –
MRI
MRI is one of the few ways that are used to diagnose Endometriosis on the fallopian tube with the help of highly intense T1 weighted images.
It is short for Magnetic resonance imaging and is one of the best ways to diagnose the problem and provide the doctor with a clear-cut view of your problem.
Laparoscopy
This is one of the common procedures that is used to diagnose and remove mild endometriosis, it is generally considered major surgery, with one large cut in your belly. Doctors usually prefer it when patients have a serious problem of endometriosis. The usual healing time is 3-4 weeks.
Ultrasound
A standard ultrasound imaging test can identify a cyst associated with endometriosis but can’t tell your doctor for sure if you have endometriosis.
Now let’s get back to the treatments:
Hormone treatments
For changing pain perception, bringing a change through hormones is a good option. Hormones come in the form of a pill, injection, or nose spray.
- Elagolix or GnRH medicines are used to prevent the growth of endometriosis by putting a stop to the release of hormones. This drug doesn’t come without its flaws, it has a lot of symptoms such as nausea, anxiety, depression, and joint pain
- Oral contraceptives, help in making your period lighter and regular, pain relief usually lasts while taking the pills.
- Progesterone, consumed as a pill can improve the symptoms by reducing a woman’s period or stopping it completely.
Pain Medication
In mild pain, pain medication is helpful to reduce the pain level. Endometriosis can cause a lot of pain and increase the menstrual flow.
Surgical Treatments
Laparoscopy
- The surgeon uses a small light and a small incision to remove the cyst because of endometriosis.
- The main objective is to treat it without harming the healthy tissue
- Women who have minimal symptoms might feel some changes in their pain perception.
Laparotomy
- This is a major procedure, removing the patches of endometriosis can be difficult as some of them are too minute to be observed and taken care of.
Hormone therapy
Using supplemental hormones is effective to reduce the pain of endometriosis. Hormones may rise and fall during the menstrual cycle and that can cause endometrial implants to thicken, break down and bleed. Medications for hormones may slow endometrial tissue growth and it can also prevent the new implants of endometrial tissue. But the thing is hormone therapy is not a permanent fix for endometriosis. You can face the same symptoms if you stop the treatment for endometriosis.
Conservative Surgery
Conservative surgery is also a very good treatment for endometriosis. This surgery is done to preserve the woman ovaries and uterus. It can increase your chances of becoming pregnant. It is also helpful if you are facing severe pain due to endometriosis.
Fertility treatment
Fertility treatments such as IVF make your dream a reality, IVF in layman terms is making contact between the egg and the sperm in a test tube to create an embryo, which is then transplanted into the woman’s body.
IVF is one of the safest and easiest ways to tackle endometriosis. It is the most famous fertility treatment and fertility specialist gives 1st priority for IVF treatment.
If you are planning to get pregnant and experiencing endometriosis or other fertility issues, it is important to consult your fertility experts for the right treatment advice and recommendation. You can reach Crysta IVF to book a free consultation.