Endometriosis isn’t a guarantee of infertility
Many patients are afraid they will never be able to carry a child – but this isn’t always true, according to Dr Cook. “If a surgery is done properly, it will help increase the chances of getting pregnant for many years following the surgery,” he says. “Once the endometriosis is removed, a woman will be more likely to become pregnant once she tries, assuming no other factors are affecting her fertility.”
Endometriosis doesn’t always go away with menopause
While women may find relief from endometriosis after going through menopause, the condition does not go away completely, according to Dr Cook. In fact, endometriosis has been diagnosed in women in their nineties. He points out that although menopause slows the flow of estrogen that feeds the endometrial tissue, the already existing scarring and masses can still cause symptoms. “Menopause will most likely not stop the pain,” he says.
Check out these signs you could be headed for early menopause.
The condition needs more funding
According to patient advocate Meghan Cleary, a huge patient and clinician movement is underway: “Endometriosis organisations around the world are taking direct action to bring the definitions and treatment standards into line with current evidence-based research and medicine.”
Worldwide, the average cost of endometriosis is about $10,000 per woman, per year, primarily due to lost work productivity and direct health care costs, which translates to an overall yearly cost of about $3.7 trillion, roughly equivalent to the GDP of Germany.”
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Source: RD.com
