Can infertility caused by endometriosis be cured?

Written by Zhang Chun Yun
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on March 02, 2025
00:00
00:00

When endometrial glandular and stromal tissues are found outside the uterine cavity, it is called endometriosis. The main clinical symptoms of endometriosis include lower abdominal pain, painful menstruation, and varying degrees of discomfort during sexual intercourse. Some women may also experience abnormal menstruation, such as prolonged menstrual periods, increased menstrual flow, and spotting before menstruation. For women of childbearing age, infertility is the greatest obstacle. Endometriosis should be treated under medical advice, with standardized and correct treatments, which can include surgery or medication. However, medication does not significantly help in improving pregnancy rates for infertile women, while surgical treatment can increase the pregnancy rate post-operation. The effectiveness of the treatment depends on the extent of the disease. For those hoping to conceive, postoperative medication is not advisable; instead, treatments that stimulate ovulation should be pursued to increase the chances of pregnancy as soon as possible. If pregnancy is not achieved within two years after surgery, the chances of conceiving are slim. For those who still cannot conceive after preserving fertility through surgery, assisted reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer may be considered. It is important to follow your doctor's advice, and if you have further questions, it is recommended to consult a doctor at a hospital for more detailed advice.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Wei Wei
Integrative Medicine
1min 5sec home-news-image

Infertility is what it means.

I think it's important to first clarify the definition of infertility, which is defined as couples living together for over two years with regular sexual activity, not using contraception, and not conceiving. Those who have never conceived without contraception after marriage are defined as primary infertility, while those who have been pregnant before and then, without using contraception, have not conceived again for two years are defined as secondary infertility. According to the World Health Organization's manual on standard examinations and diagnoses for infertile couples, the clinical standard for infertility is defined as one year. However, currently, we think that individuals who have had regular sexual activity without contraception and have not conceived for over a year should be advised to visit a specialized hospital and consult the gynecology or traditional Chinese medicine departments to investigate the causes of infertility.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Kang Jian Hua
Reproductive Center
1min 3sec home-news-image

Infertility means the inability to conceive (get pregnant) after a year or more of regular sexual activity without contraception.

Many people are not clear about the difference between infertility and sterility, thinking that infertility refers to the inability of a woman to conceive, while sterility refers to the inability of a man to reproduce. Actually, this understanding is incorrect, or rather, incomplete. Infertility should be defined as a couple living together for more than a year, having normal sexual intercourse without contraception, and being unable to cause pregnancy in the female, which is called infertility. Sterility, on the other hand, refers to the situation where the female can get pregnant but cannot give birth. Therefore, there is a certain difference between the two. There are primary and secondary infertility. Primary infertility refers to those who have never been pregnant or given birth before. Secondary infertility refers to those who have previously been pregnant or given birth, but later, due to some reason or disease, are unable to conceive after living together for more than a year, which is called secondary infertility.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Kang Jian Hua
Reproductive Center
1min 6sec home-news-image

Can immunological infertility be treated?

Immunological infertility is treatable. There are several main methods for treating immunological infertility. The first method is the blocking therapy, which involves using condoms for 3-6 months to make the sperm antigen antibodies disappear, thereby increasing the conception rate through alternate day intercourse. Many women are able to conceive through this method. The second method is in vitro fertilization, which is chosen if there is a high density of antisperm antibodies in the woman's body, making in vitro fertilization necessary for conception. This method generally has a high success rate. The third method is intrauterine artificial insemination. When there are many antisperm antibodies in the woman’s cervical mucus, this method involves treating the male’s semen outside the body, selecting high-quality sperm for artificial insemination. The fourth method is immunosuppressive therapy, which primarily involves the use of corticosteroids. However, the use of these hormones often causes some adverse damage to the body.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Kang Jian Hua
Reproductive Center
1min 9sec home-news-image

What are the routine examinations for infertility?

Infertility examinations typically include physical exams and special tests. Physical exams mainly involve checking the development of internal and external reproductive organs and secondary sexual characteristics. Special tests can include examining the quality of male semen, endocrine conditions, and anti-sperm antibodies. Additional procedures can include scrotal ultrasound, prostate ultrasound, prostate massage fluid analysis, and monitoring of the spermatic veins with ultrasound to check for varicoceles. For females, it is important to check for any underlying diseases and ensure normal development of the uterus, ovaries, and adnexa. Examinations should also check for uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, and endometriomas, and assess for any abnormalities in the reproductive tract. Monitoring ovulation is also crucial to identify any abnormalities in ovulation. If ovulation is normal, the patency of the fallopian tubes should be checked, which can be done through a fallopian tube iodine contrast imaging procedure.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yue Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
47sec home-news-image

The causes of infertility due to endometriosis

The main reason that endometriosis leads to infertility is that the condition alters the anatomical structure of the pelvic area. It is often found that there are extensive adhesions around the ovaries and fallopian tubes, which can lead to blockage or twisting of the fallopian tubes. This can cause abnormal movement of the fallopian tubes, impacting the transport of the fertilized egg. Additionally, in patients with endometriosis, the pelvic environment is also found to be poor, and some women may experience abnormalities in ovarian function, mainly manifesting as ovulatory disorders. These are all reasons that lead to infertility.