Endometriosis is a disorder in which the endometrium, or the inner lining of the uterus normally only found inside the uterus, attaches itself to such places as the fallopian tubes, the ovaries, the pelvis or the back of the uterus, where it acts as if it were in the uterus and thickens, breaks down and bleeds each month. This may lead to medical problems, though these problems don't always lead to an inability to get pregnant.
Step 1
Try to get pregnant as soon as possible. The condition tends to worsen over time.
Step 2
Consider having surgery. Oftentimes, the removal of the poorly functioning tissue fully restores the ability to get pregnant. MedlinePlus states that after the surgery, a woman's chances of getting pregnant are approximately 75 percent if she suffered from mild endometriosis, and 30 to 40 percent if her condition was more severe. However, according to a March 2010 issue of “Reproductive BioMedicine Online,” postponing pregnancy for more than a year after surgery has been linked to lower rates of pregnancy and increased chances of developing reoccurring endometriosis.
Step 3
Have a doctor perform a laparoscopy to find out whether any damage or blockage has occurred on your fallopian tubes. During the procedure, a small incision is made near the belly button and a lighted laparoscope is inserted into your abdomen to see whether any blockage has occurred. If your fallopian tubes are both blocked off, it is impossible for you to get pregnant without treatments like in vitro fertilization (IVF). If one of your fallopian tubes is blocked, your chances of getting pregnant are reduced by half, but pregnancy can still start naturally.
Step 4
Don’t try to guess when you ovulate. Buy an ovulation test to know when the ideal time for you to get pregnant is.
Step 5
Have intercourse daily for two days prior to ovulation until the day of ovulation to maximize your chances of getting pregnant. An egg cell only lives around 12 hours, so sperm cells need to be in the fallopian tubes during this time. The sperm cells, on the other hand, can live for several days.
Step 6
Don’t wait long between pregnancies. According to modern-psychiatry.com, the likelihood of getting pregnant again is higher in women with endometriosis that had a shorter time between pregnancies.
Tips and Warnings
- If you have not conceived a baby after half a year, contact a doctor. You might benefit from treatments like IVF.
- You might suffer from endometriosis even if you don't have any symptoms. See a doctor to find out if endometriosis is preventing you from getting pregnant.
Things You'll Need
- Ovulation tests
References
- Mayo Clinic: Endometriosis
- Endometriosis.org: Laparoscopy: before and after tips
- Medline Plus: Endometriosis
- “Reproductive Biomedicine Online”; Effect of delaying post-operative conception after conservative surgery for endometriosis; Somigliana E., et al.; March 2010
- Early-Pregnancy-Tests.com: Learning More about the Swimmers
