• June 20, 2025

How Endometriosis Affects Your Fertility: What Every Woman Should Know

Endometriosis is more than just painful periods; it can hurt your chances of having a baby. Research shows that 30% to 50% of women with the condition find it harder to conceive. If you have a diagnosis or even suspect you do, knowing its effect on your reproductive health is crucial.

What Is the Female Reproductive System?

The female reproductive system sits in the pelvis and includes the vagina, cervix, uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and external genitalia. The uterus looks like a small pear, and beside it sit the two ovaries, linked by fallopian tubes that act like bridges.

Common Symptoms of Endometriosis

Some women have no signs at all, but others feel clear, sometimes disabling symptoms, such as:

1. Crippling cramps that start long before bleeding.
2. A dull ache in the lower back that worsens during a period.
3. Shooting pain when you pee or go to the toilet, mainly on cycle days.
4. Heavy periods or spotting between cycles that catches you off guard.
5. Blood in stool or urine-any drop of red here demands quick care.
6. Bowel habits that swing from constipation to diarrhea.
7. A tiredness that sticks around even after sleep.
8. Pain during sex that turns intimacy into agony.
9. Trouble getting pregnant that may appear without warning.

If you notice any of these symptoms, please see a doctor who specializes in reproductive health. They could point to endometriosis, a condition that may hinder your chances of becoming pregnant.

What Happens to the Uterus in Endometriosis?

Normally the inside of the uterus is lined with soft endometrium. With endometriosis, that same tissue creeps out onto the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or space behind the uterus. As it grows there, inflammation and scar tissue can glue organs together.In severe cases, the ovaries stick to the uterus and tubes, and none of them work quite right.

How Endometriosis Affects Fertility

In a healthy system, an ovary releases an egg, the tube catches it, and the uterus waits for fertilization. Endometriosis can tangle that journey in a few ways:

1. Tissue Adhesion: The ovaries and tubes stick, and the egg cant move freely.
2. Chocolate Cysts: These dark fluid sacs on the ovary lower both the number and the quality of eggs.
3. Pain During Intercourse: Deep lesions may make sex hurt, steering couples away from the very activity needed to conceive.

Because of these problems, roughly 30 to 40 percent of women living with endometriosis find they cannot conceive. In those instances, a doctor may recommend surgery aimed at improving fertility.

Conclusion

1. Endometriosis can disrupt your reproductive organs so severely that pregnancy becomes difficult or impossible. Spotting warning signs early and getting the right care gives you the best chance of preserving fertility.
2. If you think you might have endometriosis or are already facing fertility issues, reach out to Gynecologist Dr. Kriti Agarwal, hailed as Kolkatas leading gynecologist. She designs treatment plans that match your bodys needs and the stage of your illness, walking with you toward healthier reproductive years.