With the modern lifestyle and diet variations, most women get to experience some kind of fertility complications. As such, around 12-21% of the reproductive age group in Australia lives with PCOS, says a recent survey. Meanwhile, endometriosis, which is often related to PCOS, is not a new term. Though the exact cause of this health condition is still unknown, some studies suggest that an immune system disorder can be one of the causes out of many. The symptoms of this condition are pretty apparent and are synonymous with painful period cramps and excessive bleeding during every cycle.
What Does It Mean When You Get Diagnosed?
One gets diagnosed with this condition primarily after an ultrasound or a painful and extensive period cycle. The uterus consists of uterine-like tissues lining the wall. However, such tissues or cells start growing outside the pelvic region. And once the endometrial tissues get misplaced and start growing on the ovaries or anywhere in the pelvis, the menstrual hormones will cause them to swell. And post an extensive inflammation, this tissue will break down and remain in the pelvis, causing cramps and irritation.
Common After-effects
Early diagnosis can greatly aid in minimising the complications of this disorder. Meanwhile, it can occur in four stages, namely minimal, mild, moderate and severe. The intensity can vary with individuals, but here is a list of health complications this condition can cause in the long run:
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Cysts in the Ovary
Since the endometrial tissues grow on the ovary or anywhere within the pelvis, the risks of developing an ovarian cyst are remarkably high. Particularly, women who have endometrial tissues inflamed on the ovaries can either develop adhesions or cysts. That is, sometimes, the endometrial tissues can create a sticky condition, causing the organs to stick with each other. Alternatively, one can also develop painful cysts, which are usually fluid-filled and can grow in size with time.
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Infertility
A significant ratio of women who live with this condition are either infertile or get to live with other fertility-related complications. Meanwhile, infertility affects around 40% of Aussie women of reproductive age. It is because the endometrial tissue growth will often halt the zygote formation in the fallopian tube. As a result, the tissues obstruct the egg and sperm fusion, causing infertility. In some other cases, the endometrial tissues may also affect the sperm or egg and cause damages that can hinder the zygote formation. However, surgical procedures and removal of the tissue patches might help regain fertility.
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Bowel Irritations
Sometimes, when the endometrial tissues grow near the bladder, complications can reflect on bowel movements. Also, endometrial tissues affecting the bowel movements can be pretty tricky to get treated and, only early diagnosis and surgery can cure this condition. People experiencing an irritant bowel might encounter constant bloating, nausea, diarrhoea, etc. And most people also experience painful abdominal cramps, especially in the lower abdomen.
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Cancer
Though cancer out of endometrial misplant is rare, there are still chances for it to occur. Ovarian cancer and adenocarcinoma are two conditions that are synonymous with endometriosis. And out of the two, ovarian cancer can quickly spread and invade the rest of the body, causing the malignancy to grow further. Some studies suggest that ovarian cancer can even start from the fallopian tubes. On the other hand, adenocarcinoma occurs in glandular and internal organs like the stomach, lungs etc. Multiple adenocarcinoma occurrences can be lethal as the survival rates drop with more than one occurrence.
