12 Most Common Questions About Endometriosis

Endometriosis is characterized by the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus, in places such as the intestines, ovaries, fallopian tubes or bladder, which causes symptoms such as progressively very severe pain, especially during menstruation, but which can also be felt in other days of the month.

In addition to the endometrial tissue, the gland or stroma may be present, which are also tissues that should not be in other parts of the body, only inside the uterus. This change can spread to various tissues in the pelvic cavity, causing chronic inflammation in these areas.

1. Is there intestinal endometriosis?

Intestinal endometriosis can happen and appears when the endometrial tissue, which lines the inside of the uterus, begins to grow in the intestine, causing adhesions. This tissue also responds to hormones, so it bleeds during menstruation. So during this phase the woman also has bleeding from the anus, in addition to having very severe cramps. Learn all about intestinal endometriosis.

2. Is it possible to get pregnant with endometriosis?

Endometriosis can hinder anyone who wants to become pregnant and may cause infertility, but this does not always happen because it depends a lot on the tissues that are involved.

For example, it is much more difficult to get pregnant when there is endometriosis in the ovaries or fallopian tubes, than when there is only in other regions. This is because the inflammation of the tissues in these places can affect the development of the egg and even prevent it from reaching the tubes, preventing it from being fertilized by the sperm. Better understand the relationship between endometriosis and pregnancy.

3. How do I know if I have endometriosis?

If the woman has symptoms such as heavy menstruation, progressively painful with each cycle, pain during intimate contact or shortly after intercourse and pelvic pain, she should go to the gynecologist to perform tests such as transvaginal or pelvic ultrasound to help diagnose endometriosis and start the proper treatment.

4. What causes endometriosis?

Theoretically the causes of endometriosis can be:

• Retrograde menstruation, that is, the presence of remnants of menstruation in pelvic and abdominal organs that give rise to the endometrial tissue causing the disease. These menstrual remains present in the abdominal cavity should be eliminated by the body's defense cells, but due to some failure, this does not happen and this is what has been studied over the past few years. Environmental factors such as the presence of pollutants called PCB and TCDD are present in the fat of meat, water and soft drinks and can alter the immune system causing the body to not recognize these tissues, however more scientific research must be carried out to prove these theories.

In addition, it is known that women with cases of endometriosis in the family are more likely to develop the disease and therefore genetic factors would also be involved.

5. Can endometriosis be cured?

Endometriosis can be cured by surgery to remove all the endometrial tissue scattered in the pelvic region, but it may also be necessary to remove the uterus and ovaries if the woman does not wish to become pregnant. There are other options like painkillers and hormonal remedies, which help to control the disease and relieve symptoms, but if the tissue is spread in other regions, only surgery will be able to completely remove it.

6. What is the best treatment?

The treatment of endometriosis must be guided by a gynecologist and usually depends on the woman's age and the symptoms she presents.

• Mild endometriosis: Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen can be used, which reduce pain, but do not prevent the development of the disease. Deep endometriosis: Hormonal drugs or surgery for endometriosis can be used, which help to reduce the amount of endometrial tissue outside the uterus.

However, these types of treatments reduce the chances of getting pregnant and are only used in more advanced cases or when the woman is close to menopause. Find out more details of the treatment at: Treatment for endometriosis.

7. How is the surgery for endometriosis?

The surgery is performed by the gynecologist by videolaparoscopy and consists of removing as much endometrial tissue as possible outside the uterus. This surgery is delicate, but it can be the best solution for the most severe cases, when the tissue has spread to several areas causing pain and adhesions. Find out all about the surgery here.

8. Does endometriosis get fat?

Endometriosis causes abdominal swelling and fluid retention, because it ends up causing an inflammation in the organs in which it is found, such as ovaries, bladder, intestine or peritoneum. Although there is no great weight gain in most women, an increase in abdominal volume, especially pelvic in the most severe cases of endometriosis, can be noted.

9. Does endometriosis become cancer?

Not necessarily, but since the tissue is spread over areas where it should not be, this, in addition to genetic factors, may facilitate the development of malignant cells. If the woman has endometriosis, she should be followed up with the gynecologist, performing blood tests and ultrasound more regularly and should follow the treatment indicated by her doctor.

10. Can a lot of colic be endometriosis?

One of the symptoms of endometriosis is intense cramping during menstruation, however, there are other situations that also cause severe cramps such as dysmenorrhea, for example. Therefore, the gynecologist makes the diagnosis based on the observation of the woman and her exams. Understand how is the treatment of dysmenorrhea.

11. Is there a natural treatment?

Evening primrose capsules contain gamma-linolenic acid in rich proportions. This is a chemical precursor to prostaglandins and, therefore, they are a good natural option, although they are not enough to cure the disease, only helping to fight the symptoms of endometriosis and making everyday life and the menstruation phase easier.

12. Does endometriosis increase the risk of miscarriage?

Symptoms of endometriosis usually improve during pregnancy and complications during pregnancy are very rare. Despite this, there is a slightly higher risk of women having placenta previa, which can be observed with more frequent ultrasounds, requested by the obstetrician.