Comment by fsckboy

Comment by fsckboy 3 days ago

5 replies

>what actually is the clinical definition of endometriosis? Plainly put, it is when tissue that resembles the uterine lining, or endometrial-like tissue, grows outside the uterus. The tissue can implant itself in nearby tissues, like the ovaries and fallopian tubes, or even more distal organs like the bladder and bowel. ... Over time, these repeated cycles of inflammation and fibrosis may lead to permanent structural changes within the abdomen and pelvis, contributing to chronic pelvic pain and infertility.

i feel like something has been left out. why would uterine lining cells outside the uterus lead to infertility inside the uterus? from this description, I can see all sorts of things going haywire, but it was my impression that the uterine lining was scarred and otherwise rendered infertile for implantation.

setopt 3 days ago

> why would uterine lining cells outside the uterus lead to infertility inside the uterus?

The quoted text mentions for example the ovaries themselves, which if damaged can not release eggs, and the fallopian tubes, which if damaged can not transmit eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. These are outside the uterus.

  • twodave 2 days ago

    According to my wife’s surgeon (she had endometriosis removed in 2008) there is some belief that the condition can actually cause the womb to become less hospitable to egg development, i.e. the fluids en utero actually weaken the health of the eggs.

streptomycin 3 days ago

The uterus is not the only thing involved in infertility. More generally, endometriosis probably affects fertility in multiple different ways, and a woman with endometriosis and fertility issues may never know what her specific problem is.

On the plus side, IVF works pretty well for many women with endometriosis. IVF patients with endo have only somewhat worse stats than other IVF patients.

SwtCyber 2 days ago

It's less about scarring inside the uterus, and more about chaos in the neighborhood

mlyle 3 days ago

You don't understand why uterine cells screwing up the fallopian tubes or ovaries would cause infertility?