Can Endo Surgery Help Me Get Pregnant?

Aside from debilitating pelvic pain, one of the main concerns of women with endometriosis is fertility. In fact, infertility can affect almost half of women who present with endometriosis. While several management techniques exist for endometriosis, the only definitive treatment option for treatment is laparoscopic deep excision surgery. But can endo surgery be a sure-shot way to get pregnant? This article aims to answer that question.

How does endometriosis affect pregnancy?

Infertility is the inability to become pregnant after one year of unprotected intercourse. The exact way endometriosis can lead to infertility is not fully clear. However, we do know that the disease does affect a woman’s ability to become pregnant.

There are also many endometriosis patients who are asymptomatic and experience silent endometriosis. Silent endometriosis can lead to unexplained infertility in which diagnostic tests fail to explain the reason for infertility. Some studies also show that patients with endometriosis may also be at higher risk for experiencing early miscarriages.

Ovarian endometriomas or chocolate cysts can negatively affect a woman’s ovarian reserves and egg quality. The presence of ovarian endometriomas attracts macrophages and other inflammatory cells that likely have a detrimental effect on ovarian health and reserve. Research has shown that eggs from women with endometriosis are more likely to fail in vitro fertilization (IVF) than the ones taken from women without the disease.

Women with endometriosis also experience anatomical changes in the uterus and uterine lining. For example, they may have scarring and adhesions in the fallopian tubes and inflammation in the reproductive tract. All of these changes can make conception difficult.

Endometriosis can also co-exist with other diseases of the female reproductive tract further compounding the problem. For instance, studies have shown that a large number of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) also have undiagnosed endometriosis. Similarly, 27-70% of women with endometriosis also have adenomyosis. Symptomatic endometriosis and symptomatic uterine fibroids can also co-exist in many cases. Large fibroids can even distort the shape of the uterus.

In some cases, the uterus may become tilted or retroverted due to adhesions and scarring. This can lead to painful periods and painful sex. However, retroverted uteri are not known to result in infertility or difficulties during pregnancy.

How can endo surgery help?

Firstly, it is important to note that endometriosis does not mean that it is the end of the road to pregnancy.

The first step is an infertility workup. This can help you and your doctor understand if there are any other underlying conditions that can impede your chance of getting pregnant.

Laparoscopic deep excision surgery is the only gold standard technique to remove all endometriosis lesions. The surgeons at the Seckin Endometriosis Center (SEC) have improved upon this technique with patented innovations such as Aqua Blue Contrast^TM and cold excision. This way, they ensure that healthy tissue that is important for fertility is untouched as much as possible.

As is the case with any medical procedure, Dr. Seckin does not guarantee a 100% restoration of fertility after surgery. This is because many factors can affect a woman’s ability to get pregnant. However, since utmost care is taken not to damage any healthy tissues, the chances of conceiving at least with the help of assisted reproductive techniques are greatly increased following surgery.

Dr. Seckin firmly advocates for laparoscopic deep excision surgery of lesions instead of opting for techniques such as or ablation or electrocautery on the ovary, and those that cause permanent surgical infertility such as hysterectomy or oophorectomy.

Are you trying to get pregnant and considering endo surgery? Please share your story with others if you wish to by leaving a comment on our post on Facebook or Instagram.