Are you suffering from Infertility? Pelvic Adhesions could be the Culprit!

Infertility is a challenging condition for most and often brings complicated emotions. It’s less talked about and has an immense impact on couples. Along with experienced clinicians at GarbhaGudi, modern medicine has numerous solutions to help couples enjoy parenthood. Women seeking treatment at GarbhaGudi can carry a lot of hope before carrying a baby. Infertility isn’t a fault. It is not a curse either. It’s prevalent in both males and females. There are various causes for infertility in women. They could be hereditary or environmental factors or lifestyle-related or unknown causes too. One such cause could be PELVIC ADHESIONS.

An adhesion is scar tissue formed around the surfaces of internal organs. When scar tissue is formed inside the pelvic region, it is called Pelvic Adhesions. They can be formed around the ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, bladder, or intestines. Adhesions cause no harm but may result in infertility in many women.

There is no clear end for the cause of adhesions. However, there are risk factors that exist associated with its occurrence. History of previous abdominal or urogenital surgeries may be the most common cause. Surgeries for removal of ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, repair of obstructed fallopian tubes, and endometriosis are also common factors. Adhesions occur within seven days when an injury occurs in the normal healing process following the surgery. They don’t happen after seven days, but the consistency of the adhesions changes from thin to film-like or dense and vascular. The variation inconsistency of the adhesions is considered for assessing the intensity of the problem and the type of procedure required to eliminate the adhesions. The denser the adhesions, the more pain occurs because of the restriction in regular movements of bowels and other organs of the pelvic region.

Adhesions can occur anywhere in the body and not only the pelvis.

Adhesions do not mean infertility. It just means that it may cause infertility in women in some cases.

Adhesions are common and remain silent with no symptoms for a long time and in many women.

Not everyone develops adhesions… there are factors like the nature of trauma, duration of the trauma, and technique followed by the surgeon for any previous surgeries that may result in adhesion formation.

Not all women with adhesions require surgery. Only women who have no children and are infertile due to adhesions may require treatment for adhesions.

A slippery cellophane wrap surrounds the organs in the pelvis, called the peritoneum. This helps in natural sliding movement between the organs. Any injury during surgery or an inflammatory reaction during diseases like endometriosis gets irritated and forms scar tissue resulting in adhesion.

In the pelvic region, this might interfere with fertility by:

• Preventing the egg and sperm from meeting, due to an adhesion block in the fallopian tube

• Preventing ovulation

• Preventing the uterus from carrying a foetus.

It’s not easy to identify an adhesion using a CT scan or an MRI. There exists a comprehensive set of diagnostic tests carried out by skilled gynaecologists to diagnose and suggest the treatment that may be required.

Reported symptoms by the women include:

• Pelvic pain

• IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)

• Intestinal obstruction

• Pain during intercourse Diagnostic tests that identify an adhesion

• An x-ray that’s taken after injecting a dye (Hysterosalpingogram)

• Hysteroscopy: A thin lighted tube called a hysteroscope is inserted into the vagina to examine the uterus and other pelvic organs

• Laparoscopy: A lighted tube with a camera that is surgically introduced through the abdominal area and is then used to examine and sometimes repair the targeted organ.

The fertility treatments for pelvic adhesions at GarbhaGudi give a minimally invasive surgical technique differentiating between fertility and infertility.

• For women who already have children, surgery may not be required if they remain asymptomatic and no problems are reported.

• For women who have difficulty in conceiving, they may be operated with laparoscopic procedures to remove an adhesion in the pelvic region.

• For women with adhesions on ovaries and children but with reported symptoms like pain, abnormal menstrual cycles, and bleeding is generally advised hysterectomy or complete removal of the uterus.

• Mild symptoms are managed in a conservative way by treating with medicines, using pain medications. Women with adhesions in the pelvic region might experience infertility for a short period until they meet the skilled clinicians who can diagnose this condition.

GarbhaGudi wants to walk with every woman in her journey towards motherhood. It offers the proper treatment, at the right time, with an accurate diagnosis that helps couples experience parenthood.