Having children naturally with endo? - Endometriosis UK

Endometriosis UK

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Having children naturally with endo?

CryBaby91 profile image
22 Replies

Hi, I'm still undiagnosed so not 100% that I have endometriosis but going through private endometriosis specialist to get some answers. (BSGE registered, he's actually quite famous in the endometriosis field from all the articles and research papers of his that I've read, but I don't know if I'm allowed to say who I'm seeing lol, it's in Wakefiled anyway!)

My question is, how many of you have had children without the need for IVF or other treatments to get pregnant?

One thing that had always kept me from speaking to a doctor about endo was because I believed it made it difficult to naturally have children. Now I've looked online and it appears that may not be the case in 60-70% of people with endo! So I'm wondering how many others like me have had children naturally and didn't know they had endometriosis until after? Or maybe you knew already but still managed to have children early before things became more complicated? I was 17 when i was pregnant with my first, and 23 with my second pregnancy.

It's the one thing that keeps doubts in my head. I have every single symptom of endo, and it's getting so bad lately that I never get a break between periods/ovulation anymore...it's just constant. I'm counting down the days until my private consultation! But just wondering if anyone else is in the same boat as me?

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CryBaby91
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635703 profile image
635703

I am from near Wakefield originally. Anyway....top tip about the bleeding is....if they offer you a Mirena Coil....take it. From 2006/7 to 2021 they helped me so much with vaginal bleeding and helped me keep my sanity!

That’s all.

Never been pregnant or tried to be, so can’t help you on that.

Sending love to you x x x x

Bee_22 profile image
Bee_22

Hi :)

I was diagnosed at 22 (I’m 28 now) after 8 years of pretty constant pain. I had the mirena from 19-27 (2 separate ones) which really helped my symptoms. I fell pregnant naturally after 4 months and had my little boy a couple of weeks ago.

It’s so hard when you’re in that in between stage. I really hope the endo specialist helps you. This forum has really helped me through the years.

If you have any questions, feel free to private message me.

Love and prayers your way xxx

CryBaby91 profile image
CryBaby91 in reply to Bee_22

Thank you so much, I appreciate you sharing your experience :) xxxx

ZiggyandBC profile image
ZiggyandBC

I’ll give you a message 🙂

TamazinG profile image
TamazinG

Hi,I’ve had endo since my teens (only diagnosed in my early 30’s) and was told there was no way I’d conceive. Ever. I was also born with only one ovary and one (totally blocked) Fallopian tube. So I stopped taking precautions and fell pregnant immediately! And again the next time I ‘tried’ (the second being conceived on my 40th birthday). My doctors were stunned but thrilled. I had to have c sections due to endo tissue and other issues, but I’ve got two perfectly healthy children and even my (private) endo specialists can’t tell me how it happened ;)

It’s certainly possible. Good luck! Xx

CryBaby91 profile image
CryBaby91 in reply to TamazinG

Gosh! I have heard that from another friend, she has Lupus and Endometriosis and the doctors said it's impossible that she had 2 children naturally but she did. I think that's why it stuck in my head so much. Thanks so much for sharing I really appreciate it :) xxxx

s9n0ix profile image
s9n0ix in reply to TamazinG

Just read your reply and was wondering whether every woman with endo needs to have a C-section? Just for (near)future reference, thanks!

CryBaby91 profile image
CryBaby91 in reply to s9n0ix

I don't think so love, though I had to have an emergency cesarean with my second child. And my first was a horrific labour where my placenta got stuck and I almost bled to death before they operated and removed it! But I gave birth without a cesarean for him. Xxx

TamazinG profile image
TamazinG in reply to s9n0ix

No, not at all.I have a condition that meant I have a uterus that is about half the size of a ‘normal’ one, so my babies were both beech as they could grow, but after about 7months, couldn’t turn. Also, I’d had numerous endo removal surgeries, so I had significant scar tissue from those.

Plenty of women with endo do give birth naturally, though. Good luck in the future!

s9n0ix profile image
s9n0ix in reply to TamazinG

Thanks so much for both your replies! <3

Dogmad6 profile image
Dogmad6

Lots of people with endometriosis have children naturally. I get irritated by the disease being often referred to in the media as a disease of infertility. This is a myth. It doesn't always cause infertility by any means. I had two children without knowing that I had severe Endometriosis. xx

CryBaby91 profile image
CryBaby91 in reply to Dogmad6

That makes me feel tons better! Thank you :) It seems to be such a focus, the fertility stuff, it made me wonder if I'm going to hit another dead end just because I've had kids. Especially when I'm paying to see a private consultant lol didn't want to be turned around again and told no we won't bother looking. My gyne (basic gyne not specialist) was under the impression that me having children was another positive sign I don't have endo, that and the clear ultrasound 🙄 (external not internal), which just devastated me more because I was young when I had my kids and didn't have half the problems I do now. Xxx

Dogmad6 profile image
Dogmad6 in reply to CryBaby91

My endometriosis actually got worse after having children so the gynae didn't know much. Also the clear ultrasound is completely meaningless and irrelevant. You need a laparoscopy with a proper specialist. I hope that is what you get. Take your time and explain everything. You're entitled to do so. Good luck! xx

CryBaby91 profile image
CryBaby91 in reply to Dogmad6

Snap, it escalated slightly after my first son, I was 18 then. Back pain became more regular and I started having right shoulder pain and pain under my ribs. But it's it's after my youngest which I had at 24 that things have really stepped up a gear. He's 5 now and I would say in this last 3 years I've drastically gone down hill :( aye I know, I told him that the ultrasound wouldn't show it up and 2 doctors told me it wasn't to find endo but to see if there are cysts, but he said I've been told wrong and severe endo like I believe I have would be on the scan. Which is bull lol. Seems to be a recurring theme on here though, all of us being told things that are false and actually negligent. Xxx

Dogmad6 profile image
Dogmad6 in reply to CryBaby91

Snap re second baby. It was after that I really went downhill. And I agree, there's an astonishing amount of negligence, really bad. Good luck with your appointment xx

Roobs33 profile image
Roobs33

Heya,

I really hope that you get some answers soon! I was diagnosed officially about 6 months ago following a laparoscopy. I had a scan before this which showed a large cyst on my ovary which is why they immediately suspected endo. I had started having severe pain but only when I had my period and left side pain! I have a 3 year old daughter and have been trying to conceive a second child for about a year and half now. I will most likely have to try IVF as things don’t seem to be happening naturally. I was on the pill for years before I had my daughter (who took 1.5 years to conceive), which suppressed all my symptoms. I never imagined that I had this and the pain before the op was only bad during the first day or 2 of my period. I have stage 4 and bowel involvement, so i think people’s pain is so completely different and doesn’t depend on severity. My pain has slowly gotten worse since surgery but I think as long as I’m not on the pill it will just get worse and worse! Have you got to wait long for your appointment? Hopefully they will offer you a laparoscopy to diagnose X

CryBaby91 profile image
CryBaby91 in reply to Roobs33

Oh love im sorry that sounds really rough! Thankfully no I have my private consultation on the 7th June, but if it had been up to the NHS gyne that I spoke to I wouldn't of been seen at all, never mind had a lap. He doesn't think I need one and said he saw no reason to even do an MRI. Just crossing my fingers that the specialist will want to investigate 😢. I hope you manage to get sorted too love xxx

Roobs33 profile image
Roobs33 in reply to CryBaby91

I’m glad you’ve got your appointment soon. I guess they might want to do an internal/external scan before anything else. But I don’t think it usually shows much unless there are large cysts. It’s so rubbish trying to get anywhere. I’ve just paid for an MRI to see how bad the bowel is, as was getting nowhere through NHS. I’m hoping they can get me on a waiting list for further surgery (as they couldn’t touch the bowel with first laparoscopy) and try IVF in the mean time. It’s so horrible waiting and not knowing. I’m sure the specialist will be able to help you. My sister was recently diagnosed with stage 1 endo but also adenomyosis. It has taken her years and years to be diagnosed. And she was constantly told just to take the pill and she just had to cope with the pain. It was never mentioned that she could’ve had those things. When she was diagnosed she looked up the symptoms and they were exactly what she had been telling drs for years! It took one dr that knew his stuff to help her. She’s going to go down the IVF route now too as her tubes are blocked. Good luck with your appointment, let us know how you get on xx

CryBaby91 profile image
CryBaby91 in reply to Roobs33

I had an ultrasound through the GP, they ordered both external and internal but on the day they didn't do the internal one. The scan woman told me that she wouldn't see endo on the scan, she would only see cysts, GP said the same too. But the gyne used it as a way to say I don't have endo, when I told him what the GP and ultrasound technician said he just said they are wrong and severe endo like I claim I have would show up on an ultrasound 🙄 obviously I know thats not true, he just got defensive and said "well what do you suggest we do?". Complete arse lol. This specialist has done research papers on endo in the bowel and bladder, he's been in the newspaper too :) so I'm really holding out hope that this could be it, after a decade of questions :)

Oh gosh your sister too! They say it runs in families, ironically my mum has the same symptoms as me but she is in her 60s now and won't do anything about it. I suspect her left side pain is the same as mine! I really hope both you and your sister get sorted and the IVF works :) good luck to both of you as well, pop me a message if you ever need a chat xxxx

Roobs33 profile image
Roobs33 in reply to CryBaby91

Thank you! To be honest the last few times I’ve gone to my GP with pain and symptoms I’ve really felt like I know so much more about Endo than she does. Since I’ve been diagnosed I’ve really tried to research so that I can tell when something is getting worse. My GP told me that she thinks my tubes are blocked, but my consultant said they looked clear after my surgery, so I have no idea! I’m seeing my consultant next week to discuss the MRI findings. Wishing you the best of luck with your meeting and I’m here if you need to chat. It’s great being able to reach out and chat to people going through a similar thing xx

CryBaby91 profile image
CryBaby91 in reply to Roobs33

I would bet that you probably do know more than your GP does love, over the years talking to people with chronic illnesses I have found that most patients end up knowing more than their doctors because they live with it daily, so we have to learn. If we don't learn then our health can suffer, but some doctors get really offended if a patient is knowledgeable! You know your body babes and if you're worried then keep pushing 😘 wishing you lots of luck too and if you need a chat pop me a message xxx

dodgeviperdiva profile image
dodgeviperdiva

I've got 3 beautiful children that I all conceived naturally and all had natural births , when I was 21 I was told I couldn't have children because of the scaring so I stopped taking the pill and fell pregnant within a month, I had issues trying to conceive my 2nd as they had basically done a chemical sterilisation with 6 monthly injections after my first born, for the those 6mths I needed hrt (side effects are horrible) I'd sweat so much I needed a a prescribed roll on 😂 acid in a bottle more like! it took my body 6 yrs to get bk to normal it was I then fell pregnant with my 2nd. My 3rd was the easiest to conceive but I was taking folic acid daily continued from my 2nd pregnancy. what I was told is pregnancy should stop the endometriosis! what I wasn't told was pregnancy can also make it worse! After my 3rd was born I knew I couldn't take another pregnancy, so I had my tubes tied. my advice to anyone avoid any hormonal treatments they can escalate the endometriosisbest of luck xxx

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