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Tine Mataz
HELLO readers. I am back again this week to continue the endometriosis conversation. March is Worldwide Endometriosis Awareness month. Every year, in this month of March, we make the most noise about endometriosis, and try to create as much awareness as we can. One of the most common questions I get asked is if a woman can have children if she has endometriosis. The answer is that it is possible.
25 to 50 percent of infertile women have endometriosis, and 30 to 50 percent with endometriosis are infertile.
That means about 50 percent of women with endometriosis can have children. It is important to know that endometriosis does not mean infertility. It just means you may experience problems with fertility. I personally think that with God all things are possible, but I am just telling you the facts. A lot of women worry about having children when they hear about endometriosis, but I believe that the important thing is to ensure you are healthy and have a good quality of life.
It has not been concluded exactly why some women with endometriosis struggle with infertility, but these are some of the suspected causes:
(1) Adhesions restricting the mobility of the egg to travel down the fallopian tube
(2) Poor quality eggs
(3) Eggs not being released monthly by the ovaries
(4) Inflammation in the pelvis. This can create cells that attack the sperm and reduces the potency of sperm
(5) Chemicals that are being produced by endometriosis stop the movement of the egg from the ovary, down into the fallopian tube.
There are a number of options for women who are trying to conceive. I believe that the first and most pivotal thing is to have faith and to relax. Other things include:
1. Surgery eg. Excision: Some women have reported that after excision surgery for endometriosis (by an endometriosis specialist), they have been able to conceive. Excision surgery is the gold standard in treating endometriosis. It stresses that all the endometriosis lesions be removed and that no tissue is left behind.
2. Fertility enhancing hormone therapies can also be used to increase egg production or improve ovulation.
3. IVF ( In Vitro Fertilisation). This is a process of fertilisation by extracting a woman’s eggs and manually combining the eggs with a sperm sample in a laboratory dish.
4. Natural alternatives:
(a) Fertility cleansing,
(b) Following the endometriosis diet
(c) Using fertility enhancing herbs such as Ashwagandha, Bee Propolis, Burdock, Yarrow,
Lady’s Mantle, Shepherd’s purse and Evening primrose oil and many more
(d) Acupuncture to promote fertility
Being infertile is one of the most stressful things a woman can go through. To get through it she will need support and not to be constantly reminded of the failure to conceive. She needs family and friends that will encourage her to keep trying and most of all to let her know she still matters despite the failure to conceive. She also needs an encouraging and supportive partner. Sometimes a woman has to choose between having a quality of life or having a child which is an extremely hard decision.
As a society, let us be more sensitive to women with endometriosis. Sometimes women with endometriosis have bloating or swelling in the pelvic region which actually makes them look pregnant when they are not, so it is important to be mindful of asking a woman if she is pregnant before you know her condition. You could possibly make a bleeding wound worse.
Most of all, I encourage ladies trying to conceive to not lose hope or feel worthless. Being a mother does not define who you are. You can foster or even adopt a child. There are many children in this world that need mothers. What defines you is your heart and soul and that’s what truly matters. If you have been hurting from infertility, or from negative feelings about infertility, today let it go. You do not deserve it, and negativity does not help you when you are trying to conceive.
For more information or if you need any questions answered you may contact me on +263778026402. I am here for you.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter