Fact or Myth? Endometriosis always leads to infertility

MYTH!

endometriosis.org writes:
“Too many young women are given the impression that having endometriosis invariably means that they will become infertile. The Association periodically has to reassure young women who have been given this impression by their doctors. Teenagers as young as 18 have been told to ‘go find a husband and have children as soon as possible, because if you don’t, you never will’.

“Unfortunately, there are no reliable statistics that indicate what percentage of women with endometriosis have no problems having children, have difficulties but eventually succeed, or never succeed. Therefore, it is impossible to give women a reliable indication of their chances of having fertility problems. However, in general, it is believed that the likelihood of fertility problems increases with the severity of the disease.

“Many women with endometriosis do go on to have children. Gynaecologists generally believe that 60–70% of women with endometriosis are fertile. Furthermore, they say that about half the women who have difficulties do eventually conceive with or without treatment.”

Another myth endometriosis.org addresses is, “Infertility usually caused by endometriosis on the tubes”. They write, “The statement that scarring of the fallopian tubes due to endometriosis is a common cause of infertility is appearing more and more frequently in lay publications. The authors of such publications are usually people who have very little understanding of the condition.

“I suspect they are confusing the causes of endometriosis-associated infertility with those of pelvic-inflammatory-disease-associated infertility. Pelvic inflammatory disease is an infection that damages or blocks the fallopian tubes. It causes infertility by preventing movement of the egg and sperm through the tube.

“The reality is that endometrial implants are rarely found on the fallopian tubes. Therefore, endometriosis does not usually cause scarring of the fallopian tubes or infertility due to scarring of the tubes.

“The mechanisms by which endometriosis causes infertility are still largely unknown, despite years of research. It may be years or even decades before the riddles of endometriosis infertility and sub-fertility are solved.”

The Endometriosis Research Center (ERC) writes:
“While Endometriosis can cause infertility in approximately 35% of women with the disease, with the right treatment and partnership of the right healthcare professional, pregnancy can certainly be achieved by a woman with the disease. See your healthcare provider if you have concerns, and request a copy of our “Infertility” presentation.”

See also Dr. Redwine’s FAQ on pregnancy, where he shows via documented research that having endometriosis does not automatically mean one is or will be unable to conceive.
http://www.endometriosistreatment.org/html/question8.html