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Post by AussieBird on Feb 24, 2007 21:44:36 GMT -5
If I've had endo for 10-15yrs without treatment and I have thumbnail sized cysts on both ovaries (about 6 of them), what do you think my fertility situation would be?
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Post by ouchy on Feb 25, 2007 0:34:01 GMT -5
NO ONE can tell you your fertility chances. As you will find with so many other threads similar to this one, only time will tell. Even if you have stage IV endo, women do get pregnant. The majority of women w/ endo are fertile.
Also depends on the type of cysts on your ovaries you are talking about. There is a difference between endometriotic cysts and other types of cysts, but that is another thread.
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Post by akcheryl on Feb 25, 2007 0:35:34 GMT -5
It's tough to say without knowing what kind of cysts you have. Since you have several of them, they could be functional cysts or cysts resulting from PCOS.
Functional cysts result when the follicle, which contains the ovum (egg) does not erupt and release the egg at ovulation, for whatever reason. Instead, the follicles can enlarge and become 'cysts'. These are quite common, and I actually have one that was 26 mm upon my last ultrasound (it had shrunk from 37 mm - a mature follicle is 18 mm). These aren't usually anything to worry about, and often resolve themselves.
Endometriomas, or "chocolate cysts," are actually tumors that form in the ovary. These are a result of endometriosis, and can become quite large. I had a lap on Dec. 1 after "large, complex adnexal masses" were found on both ovaries during an ultrasound - the endometrioma on my right ovary was 6.3 centimeters in diameter, and the one on my left ovary was 8.8 cm. These can inhibit the ovary's ability to properly ovulate and release an egg.
There are many different kinds of ovarian cysts (there is a thread on the topic that you may find helpful) - so without knowing what kind of cysts you have, it is difficult to give you advice. It's also difficult without knowing whether you are naturally ovulating regularly, or if you suffer from any other health issues that may make becomeing pregnant difficult (thyroid conditions, etc.)
I will say that if you do KNOW you have endo (confirmed through lap) that approximately 40% of women with endo suffer from subfertility. This subfertility can result from both immune system problems (which would explain fertility problems in women with milder forms - say stages 1 or 2 - of endo), and from physical barriers (blocked tubes, endometriomas, extensive scarring, ...).
From personal experience with stage 4 endo, I was given 0% chance of having a baby naturally (my husband and I are in the beginning stages of IVF). This is after speaking to 2 OBGYNS, 2 OBGYN surgeons, 2 GPs, 1 reproductive endocrinologist, 1 urologist, multiple nurses, reading countless articles, and my husband is a med student and has had lectures indicating that women with stage 4 (in my condition) have very little to no real hope of having a baby naturally (or with methods other than IVF).
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Post by AussieBird on Feb 25, 2007 5:17:11 GMT -5
Thank you! My cysts are apparently approx 2cm and I was assuming they were chocolate endometriomas because the ultrasound lady and my gyno were both confident it was endo and didnt mention PCOS or anything else. I have thyroid nodules, my thyroid is just slightly larger than it's supposed to be, I didn't know thyroid stuff could effect fertility! I intend to book a thyroid check up ASAP. Thanks so much for the explanations & thread recommendations
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Post by scarlett on Feb 26, 2007 15:43:41 GMT -5
I think it's so hard to say about fertility chances, especially where there aren't necessarily physical restrictions - e.g., blocked tubes, etc. I have stage 4 especially around my bowel and uterus. However I'm told my tubes are ok. 1 dr said we had a 'low' chance of natural conception due mainly to the prostagladin issues that endo raises. Another dr said we had 'some' chance and should try for another 9 months before trying ivf. Trying 2 months of that now and no luck (10 months in total). She also said that she's known women with endo even worse than mine get pregnant - so who knows!!
I think in many ways the drs don't know a lot of the time as there has been relatively little research into endo and they are making their best guess. That's why boards like this are so great because you can do your own research and learn from lots of other peoples' experiences.
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