Effects of Endometriosis
Physical Effects- Complications
Complications of endometriosis include internal scarring, adhesions, pelvic cysts, chocolate cyst of ovaries, ruptured cysts, and bowel and ureteral obstruction resulting from pelvic adhesions.
Infertility
The main complication of endometriosis is impaired fertility. Approximately one-third to one-half of women with endometriosis have difficulty getting pregnant. The longer someone has endometriosis, the greater the chance that their fertility will be affected.
For pregnancy to occur, an egg must be released from an ovary, travel through the neighbouring fallopian tube, become fertilized by a sperm cell and attach itself to the uterine wall to begin development. Endometriosis may obstruct the tube and keep the egg and sperm from uniting. But the condition also seems to affect fertility in less-direct ways, such as damage to the sperm or egg.
Even so, many women with mild to moderate endometriosis can still conceive and carry a pregnancy to term. Doctors sometimes advise women with endometriosis not to delay having children because the condition may worsen with time.
More about Infertility due to endometriosis in the section Infertility
For pregnancy to occur, an egg must be released from an ovary, travel through the neighbouring fallopian tube, become fertilized by a sperm cell and attach itself to the uterine wall to begin development. Endometriosis may obstruct the tube and keep the egg and sperm from uniting. But the condition also seems to affect fertility in less-direct ways, such as damage to the sperm or egg.
Even so, many women with mild to moderate endometriosis can still conceive and carry a pregnancy to term. Doctors sometimes advise women with endometriosis not to delay having children because the condition may worsen with time.
More about Infertility due to endometriosis in the section Infertility
Adhesions and Ovarian Cysts
Endometriosis may irritate surrounding tissue and produce internal scar tissue called adhesions. These adhesions can bind the pelvic organs together, cover them entirely, or involve nearby intestines. The adhesions may keep fallopian tubes from picking up the egg from the ovary during ovulation. Endometriosis also may grow into the walls of the intestine or into tissue between the vagina and the rectum.
Ovarian cysts (fluid-filled cysts in the ovaries) can occur when the endometriosis tissue is in or near the ovaries. In some cases, ovarian cysts (endometriomas) can become very large and painful.
Both of these complications can be removed through surgery, but may recur if the endometriosis returns.
Ovarian cysts (fluid-filled cysts in the ovaries) can occur when the endometriosis tissue is in or near the ovaries. In some cases, ovarian cysts (endometriomas) can become very large and painful.
Both of these complications can be removed through surgery, but may recur if the endometriosis returns.
Chocolate Cysts
Endometriosis may grow on the surface of the ovary as implants or invade the ovary and develop a blood-filled cyst called an endometrioma, or a “chocolate cyst.” Chocolate cysts are so named because over time the blood they contain darkens to a deep reddish-brown color.
Bowel Obstruction
Constipation is a common side effect, which may aggravate the symptoms of endometriosis. The bowel symptoms of endometriosis are often overlooked or dismissed because many people think endometriosis affects only the reproductive organs. Most bowel symptoms are caused by irritation to the bowel from endometrial implants lying on adjacent areas such as the pouch of Douglas and the back of the uterus but some are due to endometrial deposits lying on the outside of the bowel wall. Bowel symptoms due to endometriosis include diarrhoea, constipation, alternating bouts of diarrhoea and constipation, painful bowel movements, abdominal bloating, nausea and vomiting.
Bleeding- dysmenorrhea
Several bleeding symptoms – heavy bleeding, clotting and premenstrual spotting – are associated with endometriosis. Blood loss is considered heavy if it interferes with normal lifestyle or requires changing of sanitary pads and tampons every three hours or less. Pre-menstrual spotting is the loss of small amounts of dark, brownish-red blood before the period itself begins.
Cycling Abdominal Bloating
Cyclical abdominal bloating may be a symptom of endometriosis. It is thought to be due to inflammation in the pelvic cavity caused by the endometriosis.
Fatigue
Fatigue is often not recognised as a symptom of endometriosis but it can be one of the most debilitating aspects of the condition. Most women with endometriosis experience fatigue around the time of their period and some experience it throughout the month.