Thread by @RewireNewsGroup

Hey, everyone!

I'm @ja_davids taking over @RewireNewsGroup today to talk about endometriosis and infertility. I'm a health journalist and the co-founder of @endowarriors, which provides education and support to people with endo. I'm also writing a book about family planning.

I'm also the author of the upcoming So When Are You Having Kids, which will delve into everything you need to know about if, when, and how to become a parent.

https://twitter.com/JA_Davids/status/1336341864497229825

I was diagnosed with endometriosis when I was 12. Growing up, I knew infertility was a possibility, but I thought IVF was foolproof so I didn't worry too much. When I was 24, I was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure, which doctors suspect came from having 7 endo surgeries.

I've been trying, on and off, and with various levels of intensity to get pregnant for almost 5 years with no success. Infertility has been the most trying and soul-sucking thing I've ever gone through, which is why I think it's important to talk candidly about infertility.

Endometriosis is one of the leading causes of infertility, but not everyone with endometriosis is infertile. Estimates suggest around 30-50 percent of people with endo will face difficulties getting/staying pregnant.

There are many ways endo can impair fertility from inflammation, distorting your pelvic anatomy, fallopian tube scarring & adhesions, altering immune system functioning, impairing implantation of a pregnancy, changing the hormonal environment of the eggs, & altering egg quality.

Repeat surgeries as well as operating on endometriomas (a type of ovarian cyst) can also damage your ovarian reserve. Essentially, there are a lot of ways endo can damage your fertility, and it can be tough to figure out which endo-related issue is causing problems.

If you have endometriosis and are concerned about your fertility, it's important to be proactive. One simple thing you can do is ask your gynecologist to check the hormones related to ovarian health (namely FSH, AMH, and estradiol).

If those tests come back abnormal for your age, your doctor will likely recommend you see a fertility specialist known as a reproductive endocrinologist. There are other tests that can check the health of your uterus, tubes & look at the number of follicles your ovaries produce.

Sometimes people with endo assume they will be infertile and so they don't use contraceptives or start trying to conceive before they are ready and get pregnant without any issues. It's hard to say who will and won't get pregnant.

Screening for hormone issues, uterine abnormalities, endometriomas, and problems with the fallopian tubes can help you identify problems early on. If having kids is something you want, now or in the future, make a game plan with your GYN that fits your timeline.

If you are looking for more resources about deciding if/when/how to become a parent, follow me at @ja_davids, and check out Rewire News Group's parenting guides below:
rewirenewsgroup.com/topic/parentin…