Fertility and Endometriosis: How to Improve Chances of Pregnancy
Let’s face it. Fertility and endometriosis can often feel like a walking contradiction for endowarriors.
As an endobabe on an infertility journey myself, I’m so tired of hearing the (usually) good-intentioned but misplaced advice from those who don’t know the first thing about what I’m going through.
I often feel like talking about fertility and endometriosis is like going to battle. Like you have to hype yourself up to forge ahead through a topic that is already overwhelmingly scary and emotional. When all you’re hearing are comments like:
Just relax! It will happen when you least expect it
You’re young; you still have so much time!
You can always do IVF
Why don’t you just adopt instead?
The battle is an even more exhausting one.
Now, I’m not saying it’s a battle you can’t win. You absolutely can. On average, about 70% of women with endometriosis have a successful pregnancy. And I love those odds.
But for us endobabes that are currently fighting to attain that “success,” it can be hard hearing the uninformed advice while going through the trials of trying. The constant doctors’ appointments, timed intercourse, taking temps, and assessing cervical mucous, plus all the questions after being married for five years just adds to the roller coaster of emotions.
So, endobabe, if you’re currently fighting this battle, I want to start this blog by telling you, I know what you’re going through is hard, and I’m genuinely sorry you’re going through it.
For the record, I’m also about to give you a ton of advice on how to increase your chances of pregnancy with endometriosis because I know you’re looking for more than solace. You’re looking for answers about fertility and endometriosis too! And as a dietitian and fellow endowarrior, you couldn’t have chosen a better place to come to.
First, though, let’s start with a little recap.
Fertility and Endometriosis: The Facts
When you’re diagnosed with endometriosis, a really weird thing happens. The healthcare system almost PUSHES fertility on you. Endowarriors are almost taught to fear for their fertility once diagnosed, even though statistics say we shouldn’t. As I mentioned, many will go on to have a successful, natural pregnancy. Even more reassuring should be the facts that 56% of endobabes will go on to conceive with IVF, and 63% who struggle to conceive will get pregnant within 12 months of excision surgery.
So, is infertility a worry to be had? Technically, yes. There’s no doubt that it’s prevalent in endometriosis, but an endometriosis diagnosis is by no means also a diagnosis of infertility.
Instead of scaring us, the medical community needs to do more about educating us. In fact, there are other (and much lesser known) causes of infertility that many endobabes are also affected by, including:
Hypothyroidism
Celiac disease
PCOS
Environmental toxins
Autoimmune disease
So, before fears of fertility with endometriosis start taking over, I want to invite you to check in with yourself and your specialist.
Are there other factors going on that could be blocking you?
How to Increase Your Chances of Pregnancy and Fertility with Endometriosis
If you’ve taken a diagnostic look at all the things that may be blocking your path towards cradling that soft bundle and endometriosis is still top of the list, then I’m ready to do the work with you. Let’s start discussing how to increase your chances of pregnancy naturally while battling fertility with endometriosis.
Please keep in mind that the following methods aren’t a guarantee of pregnancy. Instead, they are meant to help you increase your chances of pregnancy while managing your endo symptoms.
The Fertility Awareness Method
The Fertility Awareness Method (FAM), or “real-time bodily observation of the signs of ovulation,” helps you read the signs of your body and the workings of your fertility.
When you implement FAM, you’ll start a daily practice of paying attention to your body signs, charting them, and interpreting what your body is telling you. And trust me, you’ll be surprised when you start seeing the messages and realizing that they’ve always been there - you may just not have known what they were or what they meant.
For example, did you know:
Excessive mucous production may indicate high estrogen or stress levels, while no mucous can indicate chronic stress, an anovulatory cycle, or infertility
Heavy bleeding can indicate endo, adeno, or fibroids, while dark brown bleeding at the end of your cycle indicates low levels of progesterone
Spotting before your period can also indicate low progesterone levels or a premature breakdown of capillaries in the uterine lining
By charting and learning your body’s natural signals, you can more accurately gauge when you are fertile or when something is out of sync, increasing your odds of having regular cycles and successful fertility with endometriosis!
An Endometriosis Diet for Fertility
So much of what causes triggers our endometriosis flares has to do with what we put into our bodies. You’ll want to ensure you adopt an endometriosis diet for fertility that works well with your needs and wants.
If you’ve been following along for some time, you know I don’t believe in elimination diets or aggressive diet restrictions as a way to manage endo symptoms or improve fertility. In fact, many trending diets can be harmful instead of helpful. So before researching the best diet for pregnancy, I want you to first understand your own needs as an endowarrior.
The following endo-friendly foods may be great options, especially while on your fertility and endometriosis journey.
Dark chocolate – copper-rich treat that’s a good source of iron for blood flow and red blood cells
Spinach (and other leafy greens) – power-packed with key nutrients (including active folate which is critical for pregnancy) that support bowel health, hormone balance, and more
Tart cherries – provide benefits for egg quality, fertility, and relief from painful sex or urination
Organ meats – rich source of vitamins that can help control hormones and estrogen removal
Green tea – can help increase sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in the blood lowering estrogen and testosterone
Lentils – low glycemic food that helps calm the gut, lower inflammation, and ultimately support estrogen removal
Whether you create your own diet for pregnancy or sign on for my coaching program, my advice is the same – steer clear of things that claim to give you results fast. It’s not about speed, it’s about effectiveness, and my priority is to ensure you corporate changes at a pace that’s comfortable and manageable.
Address Inflammation
As all of us Endobabes know, you’re bound to run into inflammation at some point in your journey. And when it comes to determining fertility with endometriosis, inflammation can prevent the full function of egg, sperm, embryo, and fallopian tubes.
Here are some key strategies to reduce inflammation:
Prioritize gut health
Introduce a natural supplement regimen that includes Ginger, NAC, and curcumin.
Swap out the following in your day-to-day routines:
Aluminum Foil for Parchment Paper
High Heat Cooking Methods for Low Heat & High Moisture Cooking
Any ol’ Fish Oil for High EPA Fish Oil
Drug Store Pads/Tampons for Organic Tampons/Pads
Coconut Oil for Olive Oil
Ground Flax for Whole Flax
Synthetic Vitamins for Active or Whole Food Form Supplements
Plastic Containers for Glass Containers
Non-Stick Pans for Cast Iron/Stainless Steel
You’ve Got This Endobabe!
No matter how you decide to approach fertility and endometriosis, I want to remind you that you’ve got this.
This battle is hard, but despite all the opinions and advice around you, I know you can embrace the challenge however you deem best.
And if you need some hands-on help managing your fertility with endometriosis, I’d be honored to support you through it. Check out my 1:1 coaching program or powerful self-paced program today!