PCOS & Endometriosis

How endometriosis affects conception

How endometriosis affects conception

Endometriosis and fertility: a variable relationship Endometriosis-associated infertility is not a single pathway. It is better understood as a spectrum of possible disruptions that may occur at several points in conception: ovarian follicle development, ovulation, egg pickup by the fallopian tube, sperm movement and function, fertilization, embryo transport, implantation, and early placental signaling. Some people […]

Endometriosis and infertility

Endometriosis and infertility

Understanding endometriosis in the context of fertility Endometriosis is estrogen-responsive and inflammatory. The ectopic endometrial-like lesions can bleed, scar, and trigger immune activity, leading to pelvic adhesions and distorted anatomy. When adhesions tether the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, or bowel, the egg and sperm may have more difficulty meeting. If a fallopian tube is blocked […]

How PCOS affects ovulation

How PCOS affects ovulation

PCOS and ovulation: the core connection Ovulation is the release of a mature egg from the ovary. In a typical menstrual cycle, several ovarian follicles begin to grow under the influence of follicle-stimulating hormone, or FSH. Usually, one follicle becomes dominant, produces rising estrogen, and eventually responds to a luteinizing hormone, or LH, surge. The […]

PCOS and fertility explained

PCOS and fertility explained

What PCOS is, and why it matters for fertility PCOS is a hormonal and metabolic condition characterized by a variable combination of ovulatory dysfunction, clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovarian morphology on ultrasound. Not everyone has all features, and the name can be misleading: ovarian cysts are not required in every diagnostic framework, and […]