Endometriosis – Laparoscopic Treatment

Endometriosis – an enigma….often compared to cancer, can debilitate a woman with severe pain during menses or infertility. Different modalities of treatment include medicines, surgery & alternative medicines. Surgical removal is indicated when there are large ovarian endometriomas (chocolate cysts). To prevent recurrence, disease needs to be completely excised & this depends on the expertise of the surgeon. This video shows laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis.

Painful menses

Pain is an unpleasent sensation that none of us would want to expetience. Yet, many young girls have to tragically go through this month after month. This takes a toll on them not only  physically & emotionally , but also reduces their efficiency in the most productive & demanding years resulting in an overall poor quality of life.

As the age old saying goes, all women must go through some pain, let us understand what is normal & when should you start getting alarmed.

Slight pain on first or second day of menses is considered to be natural. It can be easily managed with rest, hot water bags locally & occasionally some pain killers.

You need to see a doctor when pain is of severe intensity, lasts longer or appears later in life after many years of painless menses. You may be asked to do an ultrasound & blood test, which most of the time will be normal. This will reassure you.

Sometimes there could be pelvic infections, endometriosis or ovarian cysts. A short therapy with antibiotics or hormones will help most patients, except a few who may need surgery. Minimal Access surgery (also called Keyhole or Laparoscopic Surgery) benefits such patients with very fine, small scars, minimal pain, very short hospital stay & fast recovery, with complete cure of the disease within.

Race between age & decreasing fertility in women

Are you in your mid thirtees, busy with job commitments, working overtime for the next promotion? Or are you still looking for Mr. Right, somebody who will be commited to you & your child.

Ladies, please pause for a moment!  Your biological clock is ticking fast. The number & quality of female eggs starts dropping after the age of 35. You may be having regular monthly bleeding  with normal flow, but still the fertilizing capacity of your eggs keeps going down. The chances of getting pregnant also keep reducing  from the age of 35, drastically after 40 & there is a very remote possibility of becoming a mother naturally after 45 years of age.

There are few tests to assess the fertilizing capability of eggs, namely AFC & AMH. AFC (Antral Follicle Count) is an ultrasound study to count the number of resting follicles, which will eventually become eggs.

AMH (Anti Mullerian Hormone) is a blood test to again assess your chances of getting pregnant.  The test results have to be interpreted carefully, considering multiple factors. The treatment options, even if it is IVF, become less with increasing age & you may have to take the help of donor eggs, if the time has run out.