Undiagnosed endometriosis can drastically affect a woman’s ability to fall pregnant as well as the success of any fertility treatment undertaken, according to a new study from the University of Queensland, published today in the journal Human Reproduction.
This is particularly alarming because around one in nine Australian women is affected by the condition, and diagnosis can take years.
UQ School of Public Health researcher Dr Katrina Moss says women whose endometriosis went undiagnosed until after they began fertility treatment ended up doing more cycles, used treatments that aren’t recommended, and were less likely to have a baby.
“By contrast, our study found women who were diagnosed with endometriosis before fertility treatment experienced the same outcomes as those without the condition,” Moss says.