The month of March is dedicated to raising awareness, educating the public, and increasing access to endometriosis resources to help women make better healthcare decisions. SGF has 30-year history of acknowledging and assisting with this effort.
Rockville, MD – Shady Grove Fertility (SGF), a national leader in infertility and IVF care, honors Endometriosis Awareness Month by providing free resources throughout the month of March to help women diagnosed with endometriosis become pregnant. Endometriosis is a condition in which cells that ordinarily line the uterine cavity reside in the pelvis leading to cyclic pelvic pain, inflammation, and sometimes scarring in and around the Fallopian tubes.
As many as one-third to one-half of women struggle with getting pregnant when diagnosed with endometriosis. Any degree of endometriosis can have a significant impact on fertility. Therefore, it is important that patients see a fertility specialist shortly after receiving a diagnosis to discuss pregnancy options.
“Being diagnosed with endometriosis doesn’t mean a woman’s pathway to pregnancy in unachievable, but rather she has a higher risk of requiring fertility treatment down the road,” explains Anthony Imudia, M.D., who sees patients in SGF’s Wesley Chapel and Tampa – Westshore, FL, locations. “While we recommend that women should try conceiving on their own for 6 to 12 months before seeking fertility treatment, women with known or suspected endometriosis, especially those with what is called stage 3 or 4 endometriosis, should seek a fertility evaluation sooner.”
Endometriosis Q&A with Dr. Anthony Imudia
In support on women and couples affected Dr. Imudia hosted a virtual Endometriosis webinar on Tuesday, March 2. Attendees were able to ask Dr. Imudia questions about endometriosis including the following.
Q: WHAT ARE COMMON ENDOMETRIOSIS SYMPTOMS? CAN YOU HAVE ENDOMETRIOSIS AND NOT EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS?
Dr. Imudia: For women suspecting they have endometriosis, common symptoms include abnormally painful menstrual cramps, back pain or rectal pain during menstruation, and pain resulting from intercourse. Women with endometriosis can also experience pelvic pain (can be one-sided) days prior to ovulation stemming from scar tissue buildup and inflammation. However, some women experience no symptoms at all, and are only diagnosed when they struggle with conception. The only way to confirm an endometriosis diagnosis is through surgical evaluation of the pelvis.
Q: HOW DO YOU DIAGNOSE STAGES OF ENDOMETRIOSIS?
Dr. Imudia: Stages of endometriosis can only be diagnosed by completing a laparoscopy to better gain a comprehensive assessment of lesions the patient may have.
Q: DOES THE STAGE OF ENDOMETRIOSIS A WOMAN HAS INDICATE LEVELS OF INFERTILITY?
Dr. Imudia: No, the stages depend on which organs are affected. If the Fallopian tube is affected because of severe adhesions and cysts in the ovaries, then that will have more impact on fertility.
Q: HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO CARRY A BABY FULL TERM WITH STAGE 3 OR 4 ENDOMETRIOSIS?
Dr. Imudia: For women with endometriosis, the main challenge is difficulty getting pregnant. However, once pregnant, carrying the pregnancy full-term is not an issue, and the patient’s quality of life improves because pain from endometriosis will subside with pregnancy.
SGF offers an on-demand Endometriosis webinar hosted by Naveed Khan, M.D. Viewers will learn about the causes and symptoms of endometriosis, and the treatments that are now available to help women conceive. With proper counseling and care, the chances of getting pregnant with endometriosis are high for most women.
Download Free Getting Pregnant With Endometriosis Resources
In addition to the free Endometriosis webinar hosted by Dr. Imudia, SGF encourages people to download its complimentary Getting Pregnant with Endometriosis eBook to inform and educate, covering topics such as:
- common endometriosis symptoms,
- how endometriosis is diagnosed,
- the impact the condition has on fertility,
- treatment options, and
- the success rates associated with fertility treatment.
Patient stories from couples who have overcome infertility are also included. While endometriosis treatment approaches fall on a range of simple to complex, the eBook covers the topic from the patient’s point of view — with guidance dependent on symptoms and whether the woman is trying to conceive or not.
SGF physicians Andrea Reh, M.D., and Shruti Malik, M.D., who both see patients at SGF’s Arlington office, recently joined Fox 5 Washington DC to discuss endometriosis and what women need to know about the condition. Watch the complete interview to learn more.
“In many cases, seeing a fertility specialist early on in the process to discuss options ranging from insemination to IVF or other treatments is a good way to start [addressing endometriosis-linked infertility], and what I would recommend to most women,” shares Dr. Malik during the interview when asked how to approach endometriosis and fertility treatment options.
Advocacy is an important aspect of Endometriosis Awareness Month. Whether it’s by women sharing their individual fertility story or supporting others struggling with endometriosis, this month provides a platform to join the conversation. Become a part of SGF’s active community on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to empower and uplift other women struggling with endometriosis.
For people struggling to conceive, it may be time to consult a fertility specialist. Contact the SGF New Patient Center at 1-888-761-1967 or complete a brief online request form to schedule a virtual fertility consult with an SGF physician. A virtual consult is the first step toward pursuing a pregnancy with the help of SGF.
About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF)
SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with more than 85,000 babies born and 5,000+ 5-star patient reviews. With 37 locations throughout FL, GA, MD, NY, PA, VA, D.C., and Santiago, Chile, SGF offers patients virtual physician consults, deliver individualized care, accept most insurance plans, and make treatment affordable through innovative financial options, including 100% refund guarantees. More physicians refer their patients to SGF than any other center. SGF is among the founding partner practices of US Fertility, the largest physician-owned, physician-led partnership of top-tier fertility practices in the U.S. Call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com.
