Ask an Expert: Endometriosis/ ectopic pregnancy

Gynecology

Endometriosis/ ectopic pregnancy
08/09/2004

Question:

I had a ectopic pregnancy 4 years ago witch ended up with me loosing my left tube. druring that time i was told i had endometriosis, i then went on to have it burnt off. i am now gettin realy bad back aches could that have anything to do with endometriosis returning? i am also having trouble trying to fall pregnant i havent been on the pill for 3 years should i be trying ivf? i have had dye ran through my tube and it is fine and open!

Answer:

Endometriosis can be a cause of back pain. It especially causes pain right before menses and can improve after menses starts. There are many other non-gynecologic causes of back pain, and they should be considered before attributing all the pain to your previous history of endometriosis. If it is endometriosis, there are both medical and surgical treatments. Unfortunately the medical treatments will prevent you from getting pregnant while you are being treated, so this may not seem like an attractive treatment for you. Surgical management may help while helping to determine the cause of your infertility. As for the infertility, other factors should be investigated before resorting to IVF. IVF works best for tubal causes of infertility and your dye test shows the flow is normal. You need to also make sure you are ovulating monthly and that your partner has a normal sperm count. If your pain is from endometriosis, it would improve with pregnancy, so that should be your primary focus.

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Response by:

Thomas A deHoop, MD
Formerly Associate Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology
Director, Medical Student Education
No longer associated