Find out whether it’s possible to get pregnant with endometriosis

Learning you have endometriosis can come with a mixed bag of emotions. While it can be a relief to have an explanation for the symptoms you’ve been experiencing, you’re likely wondering what this diagnosis means for you. If you’ve always wanted to be a mother, you might also want to know whether you can get pregnant with endometriosis. Kaylen Silverberg MD at Texas Fertility Center is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. Find out what our Austin endometriosis doctor has to say about conceiving with this diagnosis.

First of all, what is endometriosis, and what are its symptoms?

Before we dive into what endometriosis is, let’s do a quick review of your monthly cycle. Each month, the cells around the egg that you will ovulate create estrogen. This estrogen causes your uterine lining to thicken in preparation for pregnancy. If you don’t conceive that month, your body will shed your uterine lining as a period.

With endometriosis, problems occur because this condition causes the uterine lining to grow outside of the uterus, forming endometrial implants on nearby organs. When you have your period, these implants also bleed, but they have no way to leave the body. This can result in a number of different symptoms.

• Painful periods
• Heavy periods or bleeding between periods
• Pain during sex or when using the bathroom
• Infertility, which can make it difficult to get pregnant with endometriosis

Keep in mind that not all women with endometriosis experience pain. In fact, some women with no pain have severe endometriosis. In contrast, some women with terrible pain only have endometriosis that affects a small area of the body. This is why it’s important to partner with an Austin endometriosis doctor to get the right diagnosis and treatment.

So, is it possible to get pregnant with endometriosis?

Because endometriosis can cause infertility, many women with this condition want to know whether it’s still possible to welcome a baby. The answer is yes. Our Austin endometriosis doctor has helped many women with this diagnosis become mothers.

Having the right diagnosis is the first step to overcome endometriosis and have a baby. Doctors can sometimes diagnose the problem by taking a medical history and performing an ultrasound. However, minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery is the only way to make a definitive diagnosis. During this procedure, the doctor can often perform surgery to treat the endometriosis.

Some women will conceive naturally after undergoing laparoscopic surgery, but others may still need to rely on fertility medications or in vitro fertilization (IVF). Either way, it is still often very possible to get pregnant with endometriosis.

Want to learn more about how you can become a mother in the face of endometriosis? Contact us to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced fertility doctors.