SOURCE: By Cara Jones
Chronic pelvic pain — typically during menstruation — is the most common indication of endometriosis, an incurable inflammatory condition that can cause infertility, an expert says. In fact, it is among one of the leading causes of infertility in Black women.
About 10% of women have the disorder in which tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside of it and can spread to areas such as the fallopian tubes, ovaries and pelvis. A study by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reported that 40% of African American women who were told they had pelvic inflammatory disease actually had endometriosis.
Approximately one- third to one-half of women with endometriosis have difficulty getting pregnant because endometriosis may obstruct the tube and keep the egg and sperm from uniting. Additionally, the condition may damage the sperm or the egg.
Despite this, many women with mild to moderate endometriosis can still conceive and carry a pregnancy to term. In order to achieve this, your doctor may advise you not to delay having children because your condition may worsen with time.