Endometriosis and Infertility

Abstract

Endometriosis is a disease that affects a significant portion of reproductive age women. It can cause chronic pelvic pain and has been associated with subfertility. Treatment options differ depending on a patient's reproductive goals; women who do not desire pregnancy are treated with hormonal medications including combined oral contraceptives, progestin only pills or intrauterine devices, gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists and antagonists, and danocrine. The treatment options for women desiring pregnancy are more limited and most often include surgery to improve pain symptoms and increase the chances of conception. However, the chance of a successful pregnancy does not increase with each concurrent endometriosis surgery, and in fact may merely delay fertility treatment using assisted reproductive technology.