Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) both lead to issues with your fertility. Endometriosis is a condition where endometrial tissue, similar to that found in the lining of the uterus, grows outside of the uterus. This tissue attaches to the pelvic organs, including your fallopian tubes, uterus, ovaries, and bowels.
Just like the lining of your uterus, the tissue reacts to the hormones that control your menstrual cycle. When your lining sheds during your period, the invasive tissue detaches from your other organs. This causes scarring and inflammation, which greatly impacts fertility and ovulation.
PCOS, another condition that interferes with fertility, is a hormone disorder that involves higher-than-normal levels of male hormones. This causes irregular periods, or even the absence of periods, and cystic ovaries, which prevent normal ovulation.
For women with either condition (or, in some rare occurrences, both), this complicates conception. Because of the disruption to ovulation, most couples engage the help of assisted reproductive technology. Depending on the diagnosis and other factors, IVF typically offers the greatest odds for success for women with PCOS or endometriosis.
The Egg Freezing Process
The younger you are, the more viable your eggs, even with endometriosis or PCOS. But when a woman is in her prime for healthy eggs, from the late teens to early 30s, most are not thinking about having a baby. But if you think you want children in the future, and have a diagnosis of either endometriosis or PCOS, that’s the perfect time to freeze your eggs.
In both cases, freezing your eggs at a younger age, when they are healthier and more viable, offers better odds for a healthy future pregnancy with a positive outcome. Egg freezing, or cryopreservation, involves the same process that you would go through for egg retrieval before IVF. Your doctor prescribes a series of hormone shots that encourage your ovaries to mature more than one egg at a time. The doctor then retrieves the eggs and sends them to the lab. The cryopreservation lab freezes the unfertilized eggs for future use in IVF.
How Endometriosis and PCOS Cause Ovulation Issues
Endometriosis, as it advances, may prevent ovulation due to scarring on your reproductive organs. In many cases of endometriosis, treatment involves surgery. The type of surgery necessary may impact your ovarian reserve, making it difficult at best to find viable eggs later on.
PCOS also interferes with ovulation. The cystic ovaries prevent eggs from fully maturing, making them unviable. Egg freezing can benefit women with endometriosis or PCOS by preserving their healthiest eggs for when the time is right. At that point, your doctor continues with IVF using the eggs you’ve preserved.
Benefits of Egg Freezing for Women with Endometriosis or PCOS
Depending on your diagnosis, your doctor will tell you whether or not egg freezing is right for you. Freezing your eggs now offers several benefits. Here are the most common benefits of egg freezing for women with endometriosis or PCOS:
- Preserving Fertility: For many women, both PCOS and endometriosis worsen over time. Either condition may require surgery to relieve the symptoms. Preserving your eggs, especially before your mid-30s, eliminates the risks caused by future challenges to fertility.
- Flexible Timeline: You may be at a point in your life where you aren’t even thinking about children. Maybe you want to be more stable in your career and your finances. Or perhaps you would like to parent with a partner you haven’t met yet. Whatever your reason, egg freezing, especially for those who have endometriosis or PCOS, provides the flexibility to plan any future pregnancies when the time is right for you.
- Peace of Mind: There’s a great deal of uncertainty regarding your future fertility when you have a diagnosis of PCOS or endometriosis. Knowing you’ve preserved your eggs at their healthiest for your future use alleviates some of the stress of the unknown. Think of it as an “insurance policy” for your fertility.
- Improved Rates for IVF Success: With all of the advancements in assisted reproductive technology and cryopreservation, your odds for a successful IVF outcome using your frozen eggs are high.
Your Best Eggs Are Ready When You Are
Because of the advancements in cryopreservation, egg freezing ensures you have healthy and viable eggs ready for fertilization when you decide it’s time. In addition to PCOS or Endometriosis, age takes a considerable toll on the health of your eggs. Freezing your eggs at the optimum time means you eliminate the hurdles you would otherwise encounter. It just makes sense.
For more information on egg freezing for women with endometriosis or PCOS, or any other fertility-related concerns, please schedule a consultation with LA IVF.
