Endometriosis in the ovary, also called endometrioma, is a situation in which the endometrial tissue, which should be inside the uterus, also develops in the ovary, which can lead to difficulty getting pregnant and very intense cramps during the menstrual period.
The doctor can discover that the woman has endometriosis on the ovary through transvaginal or pelvic ultrasound, in which the presence of a cyst on the ovary measuring more than 2 cm and filled with dark fluid is observed.
The treatment for endometriosis in the ovary indicated by the gynecologist may vary according to the woman’s age and the extent of the endometriosis, and the use of medication to alleviate symptoms or surgery to remove the ovary may be indicated.
Main symptoms
Endometriosis on the ovary can cause symptoms such as:
- Very strong cramping during menstruation;
- Blood in the stool, especially during menstruation;
- Pain during intimate contact.
Furthermore, women with endometriosis also tend to have difficulty getting pregnant, even after 6 months to 1 year of trying.
Online Endometriosis Test
If you think you may have endometriosis, select your symptoms to find out the chances:
How to confirm the diagnosis
The diagnosis is made by the gynecologist based on a vaginal examination and imaging tests, such as transvaginal ultrasound, in which the bowel must be emptied previously, or through magnetic resonance imaging. Thus, through these tests, the doctor will be able to know the extent of ovarian endometriosis and recommend the most appropriate treatment.
Can ovarian endometriosis affect pregnancy?
As the ovary is compromised, the number of eggs produced becomes reduced, which causes the woman’s fertility to be impaired. The chances of pregnancy in women with ovarian endometriosis decrease each month according to the progression of the disease. Furthermore, the doctor may recommend surgery to remove this tissue, especially when the disease is more advanced, but the surgery itself can negatively interfere with the ovary, harming the woman’s fertility.
Thus, the doctor may recommend that the woman begin trying to get pregnant as soon as possible, or may recommend the egg freezing technique, so that in the future the woman can decide whether she wants to undergo artificial insemination and have children.
How the treatment is carried out
Treatment will depend on the woman’s age, reproductive desire, symptoms presented and extent of the disease. In cases where the tissue is less than 3 cm, the use of medications to reduce symptoms can be effective, but in more serious cases, where the cyst is more than 4 cm, laparoscopy surgery is indicated to scrape the cyst. endometrial tissue or even removal of the ovaries.
Endometrioma does not disappear on its own, nor with the use of contraceptive pills, but these can reduce the risk of developing new endometriosis in the ovary after its removal through surgery.
In some cases, the gynecologist may also recommend the use of some medications to alleviate symptoms and prevent the progression of endometrioma, however this recommendation is more frequently made for women who are already in menopause.
