Endometriosis Symptoms

Endometriosis is one of the most common health issues for women. Endometriosis occurs when a tissue similar to the lining of the uterus is found outside of the uterus. Endometriosis can occur in several areas of the female pelvic region including the ovaries, fallopian tubes, the pelvic sidewall, on the bowels or bladder. The most commonly reported symptom of endometriosis is pelvic pain. The pain will often coincide with the menstrual cycle, but can also manifest itself at other times as well. Due to the fact that endometriosis can be located in various areas of the pelvis, the pain associated with endometriosis can also be triggered in different areas as well. The abdominal area and lower back are two other common complaint areas that can be attributed to endometriosis. The amount of pain felt by a woman with endometriosis does not correlate to the scale of the disease within. It is possible for a woman experiencing little or no pain to have endometriosis implants affecting large areas. On the other hand, it is also possible for a woman experiencing severe pain to have a small level of endometriosis. Endometriosis is a progressive condition that can cause menstrual cramps to intensify and grow more severe over time. Endometriosis can also cause pain during ovulation. Pain, during or after sexual intercourse, can also be associated with endometriosis. Diarrhea or constipation, usually in correlation with menstruation, is another symptom of endometriosis. Endometriosis can also cause heavy or long menstrual periods and spotting between periods. Fatigue is also associated with endometriosis. A key symptom that affects roughly one third of women with endometriosis is infertility. A woman who started her period at an early age, has long, irregular and/or heavy periods, or that is related to someone who has had endometriosis, will have increased chances of getting the disease themselves. The pain associated with endometriosis for many women is severe enough to start affecting their lives. It can affect productivity, her personal relationships, and of course, her fertility. If you believe you might have endometriosis, consult your obstetrician/gynecologist. Your doctor may use ultrasound or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to search for endometriosis growths. A laparoscopy surgery is the best way to find out definitively if you have endometriosis. During a laparoscopy, the doctor makes a small incision in the abdomen, so that a small scope can be inserted to look for endometriosis growths. Tissue samples are also sometimes taken and a biopsy performed on them to reach the correct diagnosis. If you are concerned about possible endometriosis symptoms, please consult your doctor or infertility specialist. There is not a cure for endometriosis, but there are treatments available to counter the endometriosis symptoms including infertility and pain relief. Endometriosis is progressive and can become dangerous, so do not delay your treatment.

About the Author: Eric Daiter is the medical director of The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine, LLC, a leading NEW JERSEY INFERTILITY CENTER that offers a complete range of MALE INFERTILITY AND FEMALE INFERTILITY TREATMENT. For more information on The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine and Dr. Eric Daiter please visit www.drericdaitermd.com.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common cause of infertility in women. Women can develop PCOS if there are too many male hormones in their bodies and not enough female hormones. This affects ovulation rates and can make ovulation irregular or non-existent in some women. PCOS causes the ovarian follicles to stop growing. If the follicles do not grow, then they can not release an egg. The follicles don’t reach maturity and they just continue to build up as small to midsized cysts on the ovaries.
The cysts that form on the ovaries release estrogen. The estrogen produced by the ovarian follicles use androgenic or male hormones during this production process. If ovulation doesn’t occur, then the male hormone levels stay high. The result can affect the production of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). This can severely impact your ability to ovulate.
There are a few symptoms of PCOS that your doctor will look for when diagnosing PCOS as your cause of infertility. Your symptoms may include obesity and insulin resistance, as well as an excess amount of body hair. These symptoms affect about half of the women experiencing PCOS. Your doctor will also look for irregularities in your menstrual periods. This could be very heavy or very light bleeding, fluctuating cycle lengths or the cessation of periods all together. Acne is a common PCOS symptom, as well as skin discolorations around the genitals, chest and arm pits. Conceiving can be difficult and is often the trigger that gets women to the doctor for their diagnosis.
Diagnosing PCOS can be difficult and often includes ruling out many other possibilities. Your doctor will go over your symptoms and family history. A family history of obesity and/or diabetes can be a factor. Since PCOS can cause insulin resistance, weight loss can be difficult, blood sugar levels can be high, high blood pressure is a risk, and all of these things can lead to diabetes or heart disease. Your doctor may do an ultrasound to look for cysts, but some women with the hormone imbalances of PCOS don’t have cysts, and some women with cysts don’t have PCOS. This makes the diagnosis a little more difficult and many other things may need to be ruled out before a PCOS diagnosis will be given.
A heart healthy diet and regular exercise are essential when you’re trying to control the effects of PCOS. Your doctor may prescribe medications to help balance your hormones. There isn’t an actual cure for PCOS, but controlling the symptoms can greatly reduce your risks of the serious side effects of PCOS. Losing even a small amount of weight can help bring your hormones back into balance and restore your fertility. Your doctor may also want to lower your insulin levels with medicine to increase your chances of conceiving. If you’re not planning on conceiving, then birth control pills can help regulate your periods. With PCOS, the lining of your uterus can build and build. This can lead to uterine cancer if not treated. Birth control pills can significantly reduce this risk by ensuring that you menstruate monthly.
There are many other therapy options that you can discuss with your doctor. Keep in mind that hormone therapies do not help decrease your heart disease and diabetes risk. Therefore, you should take the healthy diet and exercise advice very seriously.

About the Author: Eric Daiter is the medical director of The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine, LLC, a leading NEW JERSEY INFERTILITY CENTER that offers a complete range of MALE INFERTILITY AND FEMALE INFERTILITY TREATMENT. For more information on The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine and Dr. Eric Daiter please visit www.drericdaitermd.com.

Possible Causes of Infertility

Infertility is defined by most as the inability to become pregnant or sustain pregnancy after one year of regular sexual activity without the use of contraceptives. Pregnancy can only occur when a chain of events happens uninterrupted. First, the woman must ovulate. The egg must be able to travel down the fallopian tube and be fertilized by a viable sperm. Then the fertilized egg must be implanted into the uterus. The uterus must be able to support the pregnancy. If any of these systems are interrupted, then infertility may occur.
Male infertility can be caused by problems with producing sperm, sperm count or sperm mobility. Sometimes the sperm produced can be misshapen or distorted in a way that prevents it from moving correctly. This prevents it from reaching the egg. Sometimes men are born with this problem. Other times there are other factors causing the sperm count or mobility to be low. Illness, injury and disease can cause problems with the sperm that result in male infertility.
A man’s lifestyle can affect his infertility as well. Alcohol, drugs, poor diet, smoking, medications, extreme inactivity or too much exercise can all affect a man’s fertility. Age may be a significant factor. The older a man gets, the more likely he is to experience fertility problems. A fertility specialist may be able to help you diagnose what is causing your infertility, although sometimes a cause can not be determined.
Female infertility is often caused by problems with ovulation. Ovulation is when an egg is released from the ovary. Problems with ovulation can usually be detected by monitoring the menstrual cycle of the woman. If the cycle is irregular or has ceased, then there may be an ovulation problem.
If there is an egg to be fertilized, then it must be able to travel down the fallopian tube. If there is a blockage, then implantation in the uterus can not occur. If a fertilized egg gets stuck in the fallopian tube, then it can cause an ectopic pregnancy. Endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease and uterine fibroids can be other causes of infertility in women. Sometimes the uterus itself can be structurally misshapen or too distorted to support a pregnancy.
Many lifestyle factors should be considered when determining the cause of a female’s infertility. Age, illness, hormonal changes or imbalances, smoking, weight, alcohol use, smoking, exercise level and diet should all be evaluated. Sexually transmitted diseases can also cause infertility. Weight is a common cause of infertility. If a woman weighs too little or too much, it can affect the signal from the brain that tells the ovary to release the egg.
There are many causes of infertility for men and women that are not discussed here. You should talk with your doctor or infertility specialist about what specific causes of infertility you might be experiencing. Careful planning, lifestyle changes, hormonal treatments or surgery could help you conceive. The best thing to do is to come up with an infertility treatment plan that is right for you.

About the Author: Eric Daiter is the medical director of The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine, LLC, a leading NEW JERSEY INFERTILITY CENTER that offers a complete range of MALE INFERTILITY AND FEMALE INFERTILITY TREATMENT. For more information on The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine and Dr. Eric Daiter please visit www.drericdaitermd.com.

Anatomy of the Fallopian Tubes and Infertility

The fallopian tubes are located on either side of the uterus. They continue outwards towards the ovaries. At the end of each fallopian tube is a fimbria, or finger-like structure that reaches out towards the ovary to catch eggs when they are released. The fimbria stimulates the ovary when it is time for ovulation. The cilia of the fimbria direct the egg down the fallopian tube towards the uterus.
This section of the fallopian tube, which contains the fimbria, is called the infundibulum. The infundibulum opens into a dilated part of the fallopian tube called the ampulla. The ampulla is where fertilization of the egg generally takes place. Once the egg is fertilized, it will travel down the isthmus, a more narrow part of the fallopian tube. Then it enters the intramural oviduct, which is basically the entrance to the uterus.
The fallopian tubes are made up of three primary layers. The first and innermost layer of the fallopian tubes is called the mucosa. This layer secretes mucus and protects the fallopian tubes. The mucosa has a distinct appearance and can help differentiate between the portions of the fallopian tubes described above. The second layer of the fallopian tubes is called the muscularis externa. This layer is basically a layer of muscle tissue capable of contracting. These contractions help move fluid and eggs through the fallopian tubes. The third layer is the serosa. This is a smooth outer lining.
Problems with the fallopian tubes can lead to infertility. Blockages, inflammation and dysfunction of the fallopian tubes are common causes of infertility. Pelvic inflammatory disease affects the uterus, fallopian tubes and/or ovaries. Inflammation inside the fallopian tube can prevent the passage of an egg and inhibit the chances of a successful pregnancy. This inflammation can eventually cause tissues to stick together and turn into a scar. Scar tissue and adhesions are common causes of blockage in the fallopian tubes. Pelvic inflammatory disease is most commonly caused by sexually transmitted diseases or bacterial infections, although other causes are also possible.
Tubal occlusion or blockage can be tested by x-ray. A dye is injected into the cervix. It travels up through the uterus and into the fallopian tubes. If the dye spills out into the abdominal cavity, then there isn’t a complete blockage in the tube. This procedure is called a hysterosalpingogram. There may be a partial blockage still present, or the tube itself may not be functional enough to transport an egg all the way to the uterus.
If there isn’t a complete blockage of the fallopian tube, then a laparoscopy can be performed to assess the tubal damage. Sometimes surgery can correct tubal damage, or in vitro fertilization may be recommended by your doctor or infertility specialist.

About the Author: Eric Daiter is the medical director of The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine, LLC, a leading NEW JERSEY INFERTILITY CENTER that offers a complete range of MALE INFERTILITY AND FEMALE INFERTILITY TREATMENT. For more information on The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine and Dr. Eric Daiter please visit www.drericdaitermd.com.