At Fertility Center of San Antonio, we pride ourselves on providing a comprehensive range of services to couples hoping to introduce a precious new life into this world. From state-of-the-art fertility evaluation services and patient education to intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) with some of the highest success rates in the nation, we offer couples true hope with a compassionate touch. Our warm, friendly fertility experts interact with patients on a personal level, guiding them through their journey toward parenthood with a level of understanding that is rare in any field of medicine.

Part of this guidance takes the form of helping patients understand the conditions that underlie their difficulties with conception. One of the most common conditions contributing to female factor infertility is endometriosis, a disease in which the tissue that lines the inner cavity of the uterus grows outside of that cavity, often on the ovaries or fallopian tubes. Our fertility doctors discuss fertility and endometriosis during consultations at our San Antonio, TX fertility centers, helping patients with the disease understand the challenges they face and what they will have to do to overcome them. Most importantly, they enable patients to realize that endometriosis does not make pregnancy an impossibility.

If you are having difficulty achieving successful pregnancy after months of trying and would like to learn more about our fertility evaluation services, please schedule your initial consultation at Fertility Center of San Antonio today.

How Is Endometriosis Diagnosed?

In order to confirm that endometriosis is contributing to a couple’s infertility, our doctors must perform a surgical procedure called a laparoscopy. This involves the use of tiny instruments, including a fiber-optic camera with a light attached that transmits real-time images to a screen. This allows our doctors to determine not only whether there is tissue growth outside of the uterine lining, but also its severity. Severe endometriosis is one of the more common causes of blockage of the fallopian tubes, which in turn is one of the most common causes of infertility.

Is Endometriosis Common?

Endometriosis is actually quite common, affecting between 5 and 10 percent of all women. However, most cases of endometriosis are extremely mild and do not cause infertility.

That having been said, moderate to severe cases of endometriosis are common contributors to infertility. Indeed, 30 to 40 percent of all infertile females have endometriosis.

Fertility Treatment and Endometriosis

While severe cases of endometriosis can be surgically treated, pregnancy rates do not increase substantially afterward. In fact, some studies have suggested that endometriosis surgery has no discernable effect on pregnancy rates. Fortunately, in vitro fertilization (IVF) remains a highly effective option for women with endometriosis, assuming that they produce sufficient good-quality eggs during ovarian stimulation and other infertility factors are either not present or able to be treated.

Learn More about Fertility and Endometriosis

If you would like to learn more about fertility and endometriosis, or you wish to schedule your appointment with one of our fertility specialists, please contact Fertility Center of San Antonio today.