| Endometriosis is a growing concern among women | | | | Infertility is another possible side effect of |
| today. Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar | | | | endometriosis. To determine that endometriosis is the |
| to the endometrial glands and stroma that line the | | | | cause of infertility, a surgical procedure called |
| uterus grows outside of the uterus. Endometriosis | | | | laparoscopy may be performed. This allows your |
| tissue can grow anywhere inside of the abdominal | | | | doctor to see inside of your abdominal cavity with a |
| cavity. The symptoms of endometriosis include severe | | | | small scope. Your doctor may determine that |
| pelvic pain, heavy or erratic bleeding and fatigue. If the | | | | endometriosis is one possible cause of infertility if it is |
| endometriosis spreads through the abdominal cavity | | | | adhering to your ovaries and fallopian tubes, or |
| and fuses organs together, it is referred to as frozen | | | | distorting your reproductive organs in any way. |
| pelvis. | | | | Endometriosis can cause tubes to be blocked or |
| If you have been diagnosed with frozen pelvis, you | | | | ovaries to adhere to abdominal walls or your uterus. In |
| may have a lot of questions. Frozen pelvis is caused | | | | rare cases the endometriosis can grow into your |
| by pelvic inflammation, most commonly endometriosis. | | | | ovaries and damage your eggs, resulting in a reduced |
| Frozen pelvis can cause a lot of different problems. | | | | egg quality or quantity. |
| Each individual inflicted with frozen pelvis will have a | | | | Your next question is probably about treatment |
| unique diagnosis. Your intestine may be fused with the | | | | options. Frozen pelvis is an advance stage of |
| uterus, your bladder can be fused with your abdominal | | | | endometriosis and may require ongoing treatment for |
| wall, or your ovaries and fallopian tubes can be fused | | | | fertility to return or to have relief from its debilitating |
| with your uterus, which is fused with a cesarean | | | | symptoms. Surgery, hormone therapy and physical |
| section scar. Every situation is unique and the problems | | | | therapy can all help you get on your way to healing. |
| can be widespread. | | | | The endometrial cells that are causing your frozen |
| You may be wondering why this happened to you. | | | | pelvis react to hormones in a manner similar to your |
| Many women have the same question. Endometriosis | | | | uterine lining. This means that the cells thicken and shed |
| occurs when uterine lining, normally shed during | | | | just like having a menstrual period inside of your body. |
| menstruation, moves upward in the uterus, through the | | | | Blood and endometrial cells can pool up, since they |
| fallopian tubes, and out into the abdominal cavity. This | | | | have nowhere to go, causing a lot of pain. Birth control |
| tissue is very irritating to the abdominal tissues and can | | | | pills can help the problem tissues shrink and cause |
| cause the abdominal tissue to become sticky and | | | | fewer problems. The growth of the tissues can be |
| scarred. Long strands of scar tissue, called adhesions, | | | | controlled long-term in this manner. Anti-inflammatory |
| can bind organs together. They pull on the organs that | | | | medications help with pain. Exercise, stretching and |
| they inflict and can affect their function. This can cause | | | | palpation of the affected area can help some of the |
| bowels to be obstructed. It can cause your bladder not | | | | adhesions break loose from your organs. Talk to your |
| to empty, causing infections. In many cases, surgery | | | | doctor about what options are best for your personal |
| and/or medication will be recommended if problems | | | | situation and good luck with your journey to fertility and |
| like this are occurring. | | | | relief. |