In addition to irregular ovulation and polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis is a common cause of female factor infertility. Each year, this chronic disease affects approximately 5 million women in US.

What Is Endometriosis?
Women with endometriosis have uterine lining tissue growing outside of the uterus. It is thought that some of the uterine lining travels through the fallopian tubes and into the abdominal cavity at the time of menstruation instead of exiting the body with the normal monthly period. This reactive menstrual tissue can attach to the ovaries and fallopian tubes and any structure in the abdominal cavity and begin to “grow”. Endometriosis tissue can cause a significant amount of pain and scar tissue that can damage the reproductive organs, resulting in female infertility.

Although most women can conceive on their own with mild to moderate endometriosis, we routinely see patients with moderate to severe disease that require treatment to achieve pregnancy and alleviate pain.

It is not completely understood why endometriosis can cause infertility but it is thought endometriosis can cause the release of substances that can negatively affect ovulation, egg pick up by the fallopian tubes, fertilization and implantation of an embryo. Structural changes to the pelvis due to scar tissue and inflammation may also cause changes in the relationship of the ovaries and fallopian tubes and interrupting the normal pathway of the egg to meet the sperm for fertilization..