Dr Lucy Coyne, Medical Director at Care Fertility: 

“Endometriosis is a chronic and often very painful condition affecting millions of women worldwide. In the UK it is thought to affect 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. It is the second most common gynaecological condition in the UK. It occurs when tissue from the lining of the uterus (womb) grows outside the uterus, leading to a range of symptoms that can significantly impact daily life and fertility.  

Key symptoms to look out for are; painful and sometimes heavy periods that affect day to day life, pain during or after sex, chronic fatigue, issues with bowel movements or urination, especially in and around periods and difficulty conceiving. Symptoms can vary significantly from person to person with some patients having debilitating symptoms and some being completely asymptomatic. 

Unfortunately, many cases of endometriosis may go undiagnosed for the simple reason that symptoms vary and overlap with other conditions. It is thought that establishing a diagnosis can take around 8 years from first GP visit to diagnosis. To get to a diagnosis, doctors will often start with a medical history and a physical examination, which involves feeling the abdomen for masses, tenderness or abnormalities. Further internal examination might be required where the doctor will check inside the vagina. The next step is usually an internal pelvic ultrasound, checking the ovaries and the womb and the surrounding area. If it’s still unclear MRI scans and keyhole surgery may be required. Keyhole surgery is the gold standard way to diagnose it is via Laparoscopic surgery but it is an expensive and invasive procedure. 

It’s still not clear what causes endometriosis but a few possible causes are, genetic predisposition, retrograde menstruation (when menstrual blood flows backward into the pelvic cavity), immune system disorders and hormonal imbalances affecting tissue growth.  

Women often come to us at Care Fertility struggling to conceive and its through our own investigations that we are able to diagnosis endometriosis. It’s really common that women have had many of the symptoms their whole lives but never thought much of them as pain and heavy bleeding is still seen as a normal part of menstruation. The good news is that with the right treatment pathway and a personalised fertility treatment plan we are able to help many of those with endometriosis achieve their goals of becoming parents.  

Raising awareness of endometriosis is crucial for early diagnosis and improved care. Anyone experiencing persistent pelvic pain or other symptoms should consult a healthcare professional.”