Endometriosis and pregnancy are not desirable to combine, and for what reasons - we will understand below. The health of a woman during the gestational period requires increased attention, any deviations from the norm affect the expectant mother and her baby. The reproductive system can suffer from hormonal changes, menstrual failure, external factors in a woman’s life, which means that the gynecologist’s observation should become regular from the moment of puberty.
What is endometriosis?
The inner surface of the uterus is covered with a mucous membrane, which experts call endometrium. The coating is rejected naturally during menstruation. When a failure occurs in the harmonious work of the female organs, particles of the endometrium can spread outside the uterus. The foci penetrate the muscle tissue of organs, both within the reproductive system and outside it. Nodules are formed that can combine and grow into adhesions.
Endometroid tissue outside the uterus grows and continues to respond to hormonal changes, causing pain during menstruation, as well as in the days before and after it. Such a phenomenon in the medical world is considered a disease.
Types of disease
Depending on the foci of distribution, endometriosis is usually divided into two types:
- Genital, when the disease is localized in the uterus and its tubes.
- Extragenital, when the disease has spread beyond the reproductive organ.
In medical practice, the disease is quite common, only a doctor can determine which type of pathology develops in the body. Cases of manifestation of both forms are also observed.
Experts believe that it is better to postpone pregnancy planning for endometriosis and engage in restoration of health so as not to expose yourself to undesirable risks.
Why is the spread of the endometrium
The development of endometriosis is usually associated with a number of factors that affect the health of a woman. Doctors have no consensus, but most often the cause of the disease is attributed to:
- The impact of hereditary factors.
- The development of hormonal imbalance.
- Failure in the body's immune processes.
Among other things, a stressful lifestyle and poor ecology often fall into the list of catalysts for endometriosis.
It is believed that a pregnancy during endometriosis will be the best cure for the disease. Indeed, the activity of endometrial growth in the gestational period is reduced, which helps to reduce the foci of the disease. However, in parallel with this, the risk of abortion increases. Gynecologists advise to deal with pathology and not expose yourself to additional stress during pregnancy.
The spread of the endometrium beyond the uterus often affects women whose medical history contains the following facts:
- Frequent urinary infections.
- Termination of pregnancy or difficult birth.
- Reproductive Surgery
- Failure of the endocrine system.
It is also recommended not to abuse caffeine and get rid of the harmful addiction to alcohol or smoking.
Symptoms of Endometriosis
Symptoms of the disease, especially in the early stages, may be accompanied by pain in the premenstrual period and minor cycle failures. Typically, a woman does not pay much attention to such factors, since they can be triggered by the individual characteristics of the body and external stressful situations. Doctors openly say that an accurate diagnosis is possible only during the examination.
In the process of development of endometriosis and an increase in the degree of neglect of the process, a number of other characteristic symptoms appear:
- Pain during intercourse.
- Severe abnormalities in the menstrual cycle.
- Pain during menstruation increases significantly.
- The appearance of blood discharge between menstruation.
- The appearance of blood in the urine and pain during urination.
The best period for diagnosis is recognized 2-3 days before the start of the next menstruation.
Is pregnancy possible with endometriosis?
Many women cannot conceive a child for a long time, which leads to inevitable stress. Trying to figure out whether endometriosis and pregnancy are compatible, and is it possible to get pregnant with this diagnosis? Medical practice proves that it is possible, but the chances are not so great.
The reasons for this are explained by the influence of the disease on the body:
- Ovarian function is impaired, and ovulation does not occur, despite the regular menstrual cycle.
- The egg cannot pass through the fallopian tubes.
- A fertilized egg is implanted incorrectly, which is more likely to lead not to a lack of conception, but to a miscarriage. Cases of ectopic pregnancy are not excluded.
- Failure occurs in the endocrine system.
Experts recommend carefully monitoring contraception during the treatment of the disease. Endometriosis and pregnancy are not mutually exclusive concepts and can exist together if the fertilized egg managed to reach its destination. In this case, it is very important to follow all the doctor’s recommendations to reduce the risk of abortion.
Pregnancy and endometriosis
Modern medicine has a wide range of means for preserving the fetus in an emergency.
If an unplanned pregnancy occurs with uterine endometriosis, it is impossible to terminate it artificially. Abortion is not recommended, it can only catalyze the development of the disease and worsen the overall picture of the disease.
If a woman suspects or knows about the disease, but the conception of a child has occurred, it is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible. The gynecologist will prescribe an ultrasound to verify the fact of a uterine pregnancy. When confirming the diagnosis of endometriosis during pregnancy in the early stages, treatment is not prescribed, in the first trimester a woman regularly undergoes an examination.
In the second and third trimesters, the possibility of rejection and miscarriage increases. During this period, the doctor prescribes hormone therapy to reduce the level of muscle activity of the uterus and help the woman save the baby.
In the last weeks of gestation, the expectant mother is placed in a hospital. With constant monitoring by doctors, a decision is made on the need for a cesarean section. With the development of endometriosis, there may be a risk of uterine rupture during natural childbirth.
Diagnosis of the disease
Today, endometriosis is the most common gynecological disease in women. A correctly diagnosed diagnosis is a key step for further treatment.
Examination by a doctor is divided into several stages:
- A conversation during which the gynecologist is interested in the presence of the main symptoms.
- A number of gynecological examinations are prescribed that allow you to determine the condition of the uterus (its possible increase).
- A study of the cervix in the period before menstruation allows you to see the foci of the disease.
- An important stage is an ultrasound scan, which allows you to determine the size of the uterus and the condition of its muscle membrane, possible formation in the ovaries.
During the examination, the patency of the fallopian tubes must be checked. Diagnostics is widely used by X-ray of the uterus, into which a contrast agent is previously introduced. If the fallopian tubes are in order, then the image will show the presence of contrast fluid in the abdominal cavity.
The use of laparoscopy to determine the patency of the fallopian tubes is used when it was not possible to find out by other methods. Today, such a diagnostic method in gynecology is considered effective, and modern medicine has achieved a reduction in the rehabilitation period after the procedure.
Endometriosis treatment
It is customary to distinguish several basic treatment methods:
- Surgical intervention.
- Physiotherapeutic support.
- Hormone therapy.
Physiotherapy
It is worth mentioning right away that physiotherapy methods are aimed more at reducing pain rather than eliminating the disease. Therefore, it is most often used in combination with other types of treatment.
Hormones
Drug therapy using hormone-containing drugs is widely used. Its main effect is aimed at suppressing the functions of the ovaries, in other words - at provoking artificial menopause. This approach allows you to reduce the activity of the development of endometriosis, and side effects in modern drugs are practically absent. After the abolition of hormones, the body quickly recovers.
In some cases, hormone therapy is the first stage of the entire treatment, applicable to prepare for surgery. During the operation, the main foci of the disease are removed, which helps to stop its spread. Hormones are prescribed for use up to six months after, for the prevention and restoration of the health of female organs.
Hormone therapy in combination with surgery is considered the most effective method for complex cases of the disease.
During treatment, gynecologists often recommend the use of hormonal methods of contraception, which can also act as independent therapy (mainly in the early stages of the disease).
It is important to know that completely endometriosis will not disappear before the onset of natural menopause. Up to this point, you can only reduce the intensity of the development of the disease.
Operation
The use of the surgical method of treatment is caused by the advanced stage of endometriosis or obstruction of the fallopian tubes.
The operation is carried out only after hormonal therapy.
Pregnancy Helps Heal
There is an opinion that pregnancy is the best medicine. There is some truth in this statement, if in the presence of foci of endometriosis a woman managed to get pregnant correctly, then a change in the hormonal background will play against the disease. However, it will be necessary to constantly measure the thickness of the endometrium of the uterus so that the doctor can help the healthy bearing of the fetus in time.
An exception to such cases is ovarian endometriosis, and pregnancy in this case will not help.
A woman should be aware that only a gynecologist can provide the right treatment and effective recommendations. Experimenting with women's health is not only harmful, but also dangerous. Endomentriosis and pregnancy are closely related, but you can not rely on a happy combination of circumstances.
Recovery and conception after treatment
The recovery period depends on the treatment methods that have been applied. The probability of pregnancy after endometriosis is high, especially if the woman clearly follows the doctor’s instructions.
The use of hormonal contraception for the treatment of endometriosis does not allow conception during the course, but after the end of their intake the chances of becoming pregnant are practically win-win.
If with the help of hormone therapy an artificial menopause was caused, then upon termination of the course, the body can recover within a few months. Then comes the conception.
Surgical intervention requires longer attention and rehabilitation. After the operation, a woman is prescribed a course of hormonal drugs so that the reproductive system recovers faster. After surgery, conception is possible, although it will require a little more effort.
Cases when hormones do not help in treatment are rare, so a woman should not give in to unnecessary panic. Pregnancy after endometriosis is almost guaranteed.
After treatment, as a rule, a follow-up examination with a doctor is prescribed to make sure that attempts to conceive a child are safe.
Endometriosis is not a sentence
Any representative of the fair sex seeks to become a mother, and the problems that arise along this path can be unsettling. The right approach to pregnancy planning is a sure step to success.
Reviews about pregnancy and endometriosis can serve as additional psychological support for a woman. Cases of successful treatment and conception are superior in mass, so there is no reason to give in to despondency. A regular examination by a gynecologist will not allow the disease to develop and cause irreversible consequences. At the same time, diagnosis at an early stage will significantly reduce the duration of treatment.
The individual characteristics of the body affect both the development of endometriosis and pregnancy. Modern medicine helps to control the development of both in order to give a woman the happiness of motherhood.