Endometriosis is one of the most common causes of infertility. Fleetinsel Fertility Clinic works with specialised clinics and practices to help women overcome endometriosis-related infertility.
As an independent endometriosis centre, Fleetinsel Fertility Clinic is a specialist point of contact for couples who have failed to conceive due to endometriosis.
In close collaboration with our diagnostic and therapeutic network, we identify this chronic disease and treat it in accordance with its type, severity and symptoms. Our primary goal is to help each endometriosis patient get pregnant as quickly as possible. After all, pregnancy is not only a natural process but also the most effective therapy for alleviating endometriosis – even beyond the pregnancy itself. This is due to the body’s natural production of the hormone progesterone.
Endometriosis – a condition affecting many women
Endometriosis affects around 7 to 14 per cent of women of childbearing age. It is also the cause of fertility issues in over half of all cases, making it one of the most common causes of infertility. It is a benign growth in the lining of the uterus (endometrium) that forms where it does not belong: outside the uterus, particularly in the lower abdomen and pelvic area.
The clusters of tissue nests may occur, for example, on the ovaries, fallopian tubes of the uterine wall or the uterine ligaments as well as, in rare cases, other organs. Since the mucosal islands outside the uterus are also subject to the menstrual cycle and build up and break down due to the hormones, bleeding also occurs here. However, this bleeding cannot drain properly, resulting in inflammation and scarring, which is often signalled by severe pain before and especially during periods. In addition, fluid-filled cavities, referred to as “chocolate cysts”, may form in the tissue.
Endometriosis symptoms
Da Endometriose eine komplexe Erkrankung ist, sind die Symptome vielfältig und nicht unbedingt eindeutig. Zu den Beschwerden zählen unter anderem eine verstärkte Monatsblutung oder Zwischenblutung verbunden mit starken Bauch- und Rückenschmerzen, die möglicherweise bis in die Beine ausstrahlen, Schmerzen beim oder nach dem Sex, beim Wasserlassen oder Stuhlgang sowie bei gynäkologischen Untersuchungen, Blutungen aus Blase oder Darm sowie Blähungen, Verstopfungen und Durchfall. Dazu können Abgeschlagenheit, ständige Müdigkeit oder Migräne kommen. Häufig wird Endometriose erst sehr spät diagnostiziert, denn die Symptome gehen oft nicht mit ihrer Schwere einher und auch die Folgen können sehr unterschiedlich sein.
Manche Frauen bemerken jahrelang nichts und die Endometriose wird gar nicht oder erst durch Untersuchungen auf Grund anderer Ursachen entdeckt. Andere wiederum leiden sehr stark unter Beschwerden, die aber nicht als Folge einer Endometriose erkannt werden. Häufig wird die Erkrankung daher erst sehr spät diagnostiziert.
Surgical removal not first choice if you want to have children
Endometriosis in those who want to have children is a particular challenge. As long as there are no clinical symptoms and the endometriomas do not exceed a size of up to four centimetres, we recommend that the couple undergo fertility treatment immediately. The reason: every operation is an intervention that can permanently destroy structures that are relevant to fertility. For instance, the necessary haemostasis during the procedure using heat in the area of the ovaries can result in destruction of the follicular reserve. Various studies have shown that anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels decrease after endometriosis surgery. As a result, the chances of pregnancy are further reduced.
Some patients suffer from debilitating symptoms that affect their quality of life. These include severe pain during bowel movements and sexual intercourse, which occurs in rectovaginal endometriosis – a condition that affects the area between the rectum and the posterior vaginal wall. In such cases, or if the endometriosis lesions are larger than four centimetres, the lesions are surgically removed in a procedure known as laparoscopy. As a non-surgical centre, we determine if an operation is necessary and, if so, refer you to endometriosis-specialised centres and surgical teams from our network.
Holistic treatment approach
In over 40 years of experience with endometriosis, we have found that therapy strategies combining conventional and complementary treatments in line with a holistic approach have proven successful for our patients today. Acupuncture based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, relaxation therapy or psychosomatic care help to alleviate symptoms such as pain in a targeted manner and also improve the conditions for conception. To this end, we work closely with partner practices in the fields of psychology, yoga and acupuncture, some of which will treat you directly on our premises.