The short answer is yes. The long answer is that there is a very good chance that you can get pregnant with an endometriosis cyst. In fact, roughly one in three women suffering from endometriosis conceive with absolutely no help from the fertility treatments. However, each case is different. Your chances of getting pregnant will depend on how severe your condition is, which areas of your uterus are affected, the extent of hormonal imbalance caused by the condition, and so on. So, here are some of the options before you.
Standard Fertility Drugs
There is no clear relationship established between fertility drugs and chances of pregnancy in women suffering from endometriosis. However, experts opine that roughly 50% of the cases, which are given standard fertility drugs, do conceive. There is no research evidence for this, but a number of doctors feel that drugs are a solution in many cases.
Diagnostic Testing and Surgery
If the endometrial tissue has grown around the ovaries, then it can prevent the ovaries from releasing the eggs. If it has grown around the Fallopian tubes, it may not let sperm cells reach the egg. In both cases, it is possible to perform a minor surgery to remove the tissue growth around these organs. However, to ascertain if these two organs have been affected by the condition, doctors need to conduct diagnostic testing. They can perform laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, or hysterosalpingography. Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive technique and the other two are completely non-invasive in nature.
Once it has been established that the tissue growth has spread to the ovaries or Fallopian tubes, a minor surgery will be required to get rid of the cysts. This can give the patient the much-needed window, during which they can try and conceive. Even if the woman was experiencing pain, it will dramatically alleviate during the pregnancy itself. However, patients are discouraged from opting for the surgery option multiple times, because every time there is an excision on the ovary, many healthy eggs are lost, which decreases the chances of pregnancy going forward.
In-Vitro Fertilization
Many experts believe that in-vitro fertilization helps approximately 40% to 50% of the women with endometriosis conceive. But, in many cases, multiple cycles of the procedure are required. However, it should be noted that there is no conclusive evidence supporting this opinion. Yet, in-vitro continues to be a popular choice of specialists for women who have severe cases of endometriosis. There is some good news here, however. The use of Lupron in conjunction with IVF has been linked by research to the increased rate of pregnancy. Although not a big news, it certainly gives hope to millions of endometriosis patients out there.
Final Words
The choice of treatment for conceiving with endometriosis is something that is best left to a trusted expert. It should preferably be someone who is experienced with endometriosis and also laparoscopy.
SOURCE: https://www.shadygrovefertility.com/blog/diagnosing-infertility/getting-pregnant-with-endometriosis/
