If you’ve been pregnant once, getting pregnant the second time should be easy, right? Well, not always. About 11% of couples experience secondary infertility, and one of the most common reasons is undiagnosed endometriosis. This is why it’s possible to have a successful pregnancy with endometriosis and then have difficulty getting or staying pregnant in the future.  To help us understand this further, we spoke to a fertility specialist to answer all of your questions about endometriosis after pregnancy.  But first, what is endometriosis? Endometriosis is a disease where tissue similar to the lining of the...

Endometriosis is a chronic condition that affects 200 million people worldwide and at least 7-15% of women. Characterized by the growth of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus, it often leads to severe pelvic pain, heavy menstrual periods, and even infertility. One of the most challenging aspects of endometriosis is dealing with flare-ups, where symptoms intensify and, in many cases, disrupt everyday activities.  The good news is that there are effective strategies to manage and reduce the pain associated with endometriosis flare-ups. In this guide, we’ll explore practical tips and treatments to help you regain control and...

Endometriosis (whether assumed or confirmed) can bring a lot of stress, pain, and uncertainty into your life. Once you kick off your path toward pregnancy, you may even start wondering if getting pregnant while living with endometriosis is a possibility.  The answer to this question has layers, according to Dr. Jessica Ryniec, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist at CCRM Fertility in Boston. “Many people are able to get pregnant with endometriosis without fertility treatment, but many do need assistance (meaning IVF), and it's better to know that as soon as possible,” explains Dr. Ryniec. ...

I’ve lived a lifetime of painful periods. The kind where you're up all night pacing your bedroom, resorting to Lamaze breathing because the pain is just that unbearable. No Midol or Advil could ever touch the intensity of my cramps — abdominal, back, bowel, you name it. And the bleeding? Let’s just say I was the girl in middle school infamous for staining her shorts and hiding the blood with a sweatshirt tied around her waist. Even the most promisingly labeled tampons and pads didn't stand a chance. Nausea and vomiting were as much a...

If you ask “the interwebs” if ovarian cysts cause infertility, you’ll be led down a windy, confusing road of Yes…No…Maybe? Truthfully, it is impossible to answer this question with a simple yes or no because the definition of “cyst” is so broad. A cyst is a fluid-filled sack. Some are completely benign and don't cause any negative symptoms, while others can be problematic due to their size, impact on hormones, or even malignancy.  To help us understand the different types of cysts and how they can affect fertility, we spoke to Levica H. Narine, MD,...

If you have a family member with endometriosis, you know it’s more than just a bad period.  You’ve seen firsthand how chronic pain affects someone’s quality of life — and the toll it takes on their mental health. It’s natural to wonder if you’ll experience something similar too. Here’s what we know: Your risk increases if you have a close family member with endometriosis. More research is needed to fully understand the link between genetics and the condition, but if you have a family history, there are steps you can take to stay ahead of...

If you have endometriosis, you probably already know this, but according to the most recent research, 50 to 70% of people with endometriosis report dyspareunia, or pelvic pain that occurs before, during, or after penetrative vaginal sex. Pain with sex for endometriosis patients has also been so normalized that the overall medical community hasn’t done much to treat it — it’s just expected, and has even been taboo to discuss in endometriosis patient circles.  For Jacqueline Solivan, Director of Partnerships at Rescripted and endometriosis warrior, “Painful sex has no limits or restrictions — it honestly...

Life with endometriosis can be an ongoing battle. After years of dealing with painful flare-ups, many women experience its next cruel symptom: infertility. An estimated 30-50% of women with endometriosis have difficulty conceiving. But since it takes an average of 7-10 years to get a diagnosis, many are first told they have unexplained infertility. Whether your endometriosis is confirmed, suspected, or more of a gut feeling, IVF can help you overcome underlying issues contributing to infertility.  In this article, Dr. Charles E. Miller, an internationally renowned minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon and infertility specialist at CCRM...

  This post is sponsored by BetterHelp, the world’s largest professional therapy platform done online. The state of your mental and physical health impacts one another. For instance, the American Psychological Association notes that too much stress can have downstream negative effects on everything from your heart health to your nervous system. In an interview with Rescripted, Sreela Stovall, Ph.D., LMHC, Clinical Operations Manager at BetterHelp, walked us through how endometriosis — defined as tissue similar, but not identical, to the lining of the uterus that is found elsewhere in the body — can and does impact so many people’s mental...

Think back to the first time you heard the term “endometriosis” (which is a painful condition characterized by tissue similar to the lining of the uterus growing outside of the uterus). If you really think hard, there’s a decent chance that it was when you heard a celebrity speak out about their experience with the condition. Receiving an endometriosis diagnosis is notoriously difficult — according to Speak Endo, it frequently takes up to ten years for someone to get diagnosed. There are so many reasons for this (medical gaslighting, anyone?), and lack of awareness is...