Fertility and children
In addition to pain during intercourse, many women with endometriosis also experience fertility problems, i.e., difficulties in achieving pregnancy. The causes of fertility problems in endometriosis can be multiple and not much is known about it yet.
There are the obvious cases where endometrial tissue causes adhesions that can block the passage between the ovary, fallopian tubes, and uterus, making it impossible for the egg and sperm to come into contact. Endometriosis tissue is also thought to secrete substances that can have a negative impact on fertilization and the egg's ability to attach. However, little is known about how this actually works.
Some of the other issues associated with trying to get pregnant when suffering from endometriosis are that the woman must stop her hormonal treatment for endometriosis in an attempt to conceive. This means that there is a risk of the disease progressing or the pain getting worse if the attempt continues for a longer period of time. At the same time, increased pain can make it even more difficult to have intercourse. For many, it may be necessary to seek help in the form of fertility treatment to achieve pregnancy, but this in itself is not a guarantee that the desire for children can be fulfilled. Fortunately, the vast majority of women who suffer from fertility problems due to endometriosis are able to achieve pregnancy through fertility treatment.
