Laparoscopy and infertility

NOT being able to get pregnant is a frustrating ordeal for many couples. In fact, as many as one in every four people have had some issue with infertility in their lifetime. Although the inability of couples to conceive may be a result of issues in both men and women, unfortunately the majority of causes are found with women. This is simply because there’s just more that can go wrong.

Men only have to worry about enough strong sperm getting to the egg. For women, it’s a complicated process from forming a mature egg to releasing it to a spot where the sperm can fertilise it, and then carrying the fertilised egg to the womb. In fact, one in 10 women between ages 15 to 44 have gone to a doctor about not being able to conceive. Many of these women often get frustrated with the multiple doctors’ visits and medications along with their side effects. The emotional strain can be especially great when the pregnancy test is negative or their monthly period shows up.

Laparoscopy has been used to help women with infertility issues. Now not all women will benefit from this procedure, and certainly it’s not used as the first option in the majority of cases. However, it can be very useful in treating conditions that affect fertility in women. These include:

PCOS

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common cause of infertility. It mainly does this by preventing the woman from producing eggs in a timely fashion. Medications such as metformin and clomiphene have been used to treat women with PCOS with good effect. Some women, however, don’t respond to the medication, and others can’t tolerate the side effects such as nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhoea and headaches. In these women, a procedure called ovarian drilling is useful, so useful that in women who fail treatment with medication, drilling can lead to natural ovulation in over 50 per cent of them. It also helps to get rid of the beards these women tend to get.

Blocked tubes

Blocked tubes is the other major cause of infertility in women. Laparoscopy can help to relieve the blockage in some cases, thereby avoiding the need for costly IVF. The success of this procedure depends on how badly damaged the tubes are, which would be noted at the time of surgery.

Fibroids and endometriosis

Laparoscopy can also help in treating other conditions that may exist which can impair fertility. Fibroids and endometriosis are two examples. Endometriosis in fact can be toxic to the sperm and eggs, and can cause scarring that distorts the natural positions of tubes and ovaries. Laparoscopic treatment of mild to moderate endometriosis has been shown to improve fertility. In addition, if you are having issues with pelvic pain from your endometriosis, the laparoscopy will have a dual purpose.

All being said, your gynaecologist is the best person to make the recommendation to do or not to do laparoscopy. Every couple has their own unique situation and every decision is done on a case by case basis.

Dr Ryan Halsall is an obstetrician and gynaecologist at Island Laparoscopy. To schedule a consultation, send e-mails to info@islandlaparoscopy.com or call 876-455-4527. Facebook Page — www.Facebook.com/ilap.ja