I Have Endometriosis: Can I Get Pregnant?

If you have endometriosis, you’re no stranger to the painful and frustrating symptoms it brings. This condition causes your endometrial tissues to grow outside of your uterus on surrounding organs, leading to many uncomfortable symptoms and issues.

You may be wondering if you can still get pregnant with this condition. While endometriosis can affect your fertility and cause issues with conception and miscarriage, the good news is working with an experienced provider can help you get pregnant and deliver a healthy baby.

At Darin Swainston, MD, FACOG, in Las Vegas, Nevada, our board-certified OB/GYN team has years of experience diagnosing and treating endometriosis. We can help you manage your symptoms and improve your chances of getting pregnant. Keep reading to find out what you need to know. 

Endometriosis can cause issues when trying to conceive

If you’re one of the millions of women who have endometriosis, your endometrium (the tissue that normally lines your uterus) grows in the wrong places with every menstrual cycle. The endometrium can grow on your fallopian tubes, ovaries, intestines, and other organs. 

The growth of the endometrium leads to scar tissue and other issues. These can impact your ability to conceive and carry a child, and at least 50% of women diagnosed with endometriosis struggle to get pregnant.

Depending on the location of the tissue and factors like the severity of the condition and your age, endometriosis affects your fertility in different ways. The longer you’ve had endometriosis, and the older you are, you’re likely to have scar tissue. 

Having more scar tissue and endometrial tissue can impede sperm and may also obstruct the pathways of your fallopian tubes. This makes it difficult to impossible for your eggs to leave your ovaries, preventing conception. 

Endometriosis can cause inflammation in the lining of your uterus, triggering molecules called cytokines. Cytokines prevent fertilization because they interfere with the chemistry of sperm and eggs, adding another difficulty to the list. 

Endometriosis can make being pregnant more challenging

If you do become pregnant with endometriosis, the condition also increases your risk of developing problematic issues during pregnancy. 

Women with endometriosis are more than twice as likely to have an ectopic pregnancy and are over 60% more likely to miscarry than women without the condition. Endometriosis also increases your risk of having gestational diabetes, preterm labor/delivery, gestational hypertension, and a baby with a low weight at birth. 

Seeking prenatal care early in your pregnancy is essential if you’ve been diagnosed with endometriosis for your health and your baby’s. 

A healthy baby when you have endometriosis is possible!

Though endometriosis is a serious condition with serious health impacts, it is still possible to get pregnant and have a healthy baby! While it can be harder to conceive with endometriosis, your chances of getting pregnant are good if you take action early on. 

Taking steps to manage your endometriosis before trying to get pregnant is one of the best things you can do to increase your chances. While there’s no cure for the condition, certain treatments work to slow and prevent the buildup of scar tissue that makes conception tricky.

At Darin Swainston, MD, FACOG, your provider works with you to understand your symptoms, the extent of your condition, and what stage of family planning you’re in. They create a personalized endometriosis treatment plan just for you. 

If you have mild or moderate endometriosis and aren’t trying to get pregnant yet, your plan may include things like:

• Increasing physical activity and exercise
• Over-the-counter pain medications
• Hormonal birth control to prevent scar tissue
• Having a balanced, whole-food diet
• Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist medicine

In vitro fertilization or intrauterine insemination may be recommended if these methods don’t improve your fertility. 

If you’re trying to conceive, your provider may recommend medications that temporarily stop ovulation. This halts the progress of endometriosis and increases your chances of getting pregnant once your cycle resumes. 

Your provider may also recommend robot-assisted minimally invasive surgeries. This removes the scar tissue, increasing your chances of getting pregnant and lowering your risk of complications from endometriosis during pregnancy. 

If you want to learn more about how to get pregnant with endometriosis, we can help. Schedule an appointment online or over the phone at Darin Swainston, MD, FACOG in Las Vegas, Nevada.