What You Need to Know About Endometriosis and Your Fertility.
Doubling over with pain during your period? Sometimes, it's way more than just a serious case of cramps. For approximately 176 million women globally, it's endometriosis, a painful disease in which tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of the uterus. And unfortunately, endometriosis is one of the leading causes of infertility and one of the more difficult ones to treat, says Shahin Ghadir, M.D., reproductive endocrinologist at Southern California Reproductive Center.
What is Endometriosis?
During a normal menstrual cycle, the lining of your uterus thickens and then sheds when a fertilized egg doesn't attach, resulting in your period. But when this lining starts to grow outside of the uterus, like on your ovaries or inside the pelvic cavity, it becomes inflamed, grows, and essentially has nowhere to go, says Ghadir. The result is severe pelvic pain, usually during your period, along with significant scarring to the surrounding tissue. It may also lead to large cysts on your ovaries called endometriums, which are filled with endometrial fluid. And sadly, doctors still aren't sure what causes the disease, though they know estrogen plays a role.
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It takes years for most women to be diagnosed with this mysterious disease, says Ghadir. Unfortunately, that's because the only definitive way to diagnose it is with a surgical biopsy of the tissue. Still, Ghadir urges women to tell their doctor if they have any of the symptoms: chronic pelvic pain, severe menstrual cramps, spotting before your period, painful bowel movements or urination especially during your period, and discomfort or pain during sex especially during deep
In addition to the menstrual cycle there are a few diseases that affects the cycle in human females. One of the various diseases is menorrhagia, which is the excessive blood flow in the system. Hormone inequality and Pregnancy complexity can cause menorrhagia disease. Hormone inequality is the expansion of the endometrium scattering by the heaviness of bleeding (Mayo Clinic 2014). In the rare case of pregnancy complexity, anytime a woman experiences large amounts of bleeding or delayed period the result is more than likely the phases of a miscarriage.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common edocrinopathy affecting women of reproductive age globally. It is characterized by menstrual irregularities, hirsutism and obesity. Different studies worldwide have shown that prevalence of PCOS ranges from 5 to 10% (1-3). Yet, there has been no large scale study to gauge the burden of the disease in South Asia.
Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome (PCOS) is an ovulation disorder and infertility that occurs in many women. Polycystic ovaries syndrome dates back to 1845 where it was described in a French manuscript as being “changes in the ovaries”. It was called “sclerocystic”. Polycystic ovaries syndrome is a problem that occurs in with the ovaries. A “polycystic ovary is characterized as being a tough, thickened, shiny white covering overlying a layer of many small cysts just under the ovarian surface.” (Thatcher, 10). That was the description that was found in the French manuscript and is still being used to this day for doctors to define polycystic ovaries. A wedge resection in the early 1900’s was the first form of treatment for this syndrome. PCOS involves more than just the ovaries filled with small cysts. Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome causes infertility in women.
A few weeks ago The New York Times published the article Hopeful Start for First Uterus Transplant in the U.S. The article talks about the candidate who will be receiving the first uterus transplant and the expected outcome (Grady). This is exciting news for many women in the United States, but there are a few people that don’t share the excitement. Although there have been uterus transplants performed in other countries before, bioethical issues still arise. There have been some heated debates on this issue in the past, and both the supporting and opposing sides make good points. The truth of the matter is that even though there is risks uterus transplants can benefit women and medicine a great deal.
Evaluating the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women who have undergone hysterectomy: A review of literature
Women are normally affected during their childbearing years and develop pain in the pelvic region, menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea), and pain with sexual intercourse (dyspareunia). Other features include infertility and an ovarian mass, which is typically felt on physical examination. Individuals may experiences gastrointestinal or urinary symptoms if ectopic endometrial tissue is next to the bladder or rectum.
...e women already are aware that they have this condition before they try to get pregnant. They usually know because they have experienced extremely painful periods, extremely heavy flows, and, in addition to pain during their menstrual cycle…” (Robertson, 2011).
Women who started menstruation before age 12 and/or go through menopause later in life have an increased risk of ovarian cancer.
Many of the symptoms of Endometriosis are also symptoms of a woman’s menstrual period. Cramping, abdominal pain, and back pain. Many woman assume they do not feel good because they are about to get their period. Other symptoms of Endometriosis include fatigue, pain during and after sexual intercourse, headaches, depression, irregular or heavy bleeding, blood clots, infertility, back pain and gastrointestinal pain. Most women’s pain will worsen over time or worsen after a woman stops taking oral contraceptives. Not all women will experience all symptoms but some woman will unfortunately experience all symptoms.
As a young adult, it may seem foolish to predict what your future family life will look like, especially in regards to children. Often times this reality is forced upon a select few, particularly homosexual couples; however, with the innovation of in vitro fertilization (IVF), a couple is met with promise and the hope of a successful family life. IVF can be described as a process by which a fetus is genetically formed in a laboratory setting. Though this process may seem unnatural in essence, it allows for a more diverse family arrangement through medical innovation. This procedure, though controversial, is seen by many as an advancement in the medical field and can be accredited to procuring a healthy child for an unfortunate family, whether
Uterine Fibroids is a common medical condition that occurs generally in women in reproductive age. Fibroids are considered as benign tumors that grow up in the muscular wall of the uterus. Fibroids are also called leiomyoma or myoma. The size of the fibroids may vary from small sizes (apricot seed) to large sizes (similar to a melon). When fibroids rise up to a large size “The uterus expands to make it look approximating to a 6 or 7 months of pregnancy”. (Gynecologists). They also can grow up as an abnormal whole unit attach to the uterus or develop similar to grapes in different areas around the uterus. (See figure 1)
An obstetrician is one thing, and a gynecologist is another. The job is combined together, but the two branches can be worked separately. An obstetrician is a physician who focuses and is trained in the management of pregnancy, labor, and pueperium (the period following childbirth). A physician who has specialized and trained in the health of the female reproductive system is a gynecologist. The reason the jobs are combined is because they’re both all about women. Obstetricians and Gynecologists are physicians who provide general medical care to women. They equip medical care associated with pregnancy or childbirth, and they diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases, especially those affecting the female
The female reproductive systems is made of 9 parts. The sex cell for the female reproductive system is called the egg or ovum. The egg spends it’s dormant life in the ovaries until it is released. The egg has 23 chromosomes within it. The ovaries have two goals: to create and house eggs and the release the female sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone. The fallopian tubes are what the egg travels through to reach the uterus. Fallopian tubes contain tiny hair-like structures called cilia; the cilia allows for mobility of the egg. The fallopian tube is roughly the size of 2 hairs, and is the site of where ectopic pregnancies happen. The process of the egg getting released from the ovaries through the fallopian tubes is called ovulation. Ovulation happens on the 14th day of the menstruation cycle The uterus is where the egg goes to after it travels through the fallopian tubes. The developing baby is held and nourished in the uterus. When the uterus is empty, it’s roughly the size of a fist but expands one an embryo starts to develop. The endometrium is the lining of the uterine wall. It’s used to protect the fetus. When the egg isn’t fertilized, menstruation ha...
Menstruation, also known as a menstrual period, is the monthly shedding of the lining of the uterus.