Unraveling the Mystery of Endometriosis and Infertility
Endometriosis, a condition caused by a back flow of menstrual tissue into the reproductive organs, afflicts over 5 million women in the U.S. Additionally, it is a factor is 25%-50% of all cases of unexplained female infertility. Recent research offers new insights into why some women develop endometriosis and how to treat it more effectively to restore fertility.
NORWALK, CT (PRWEB) July 14, 2005 -- According to the American College of
Obstetrics & Gynecology, 5.5 million women in the U.S. have been diagnosed
with endometriosis – a condition that is a factor in 25%-50% of all cases of
unexplained female infertility. What's more, because its main symptom is pain
during menstruation – a common and normal occurrence – and because definitive
diagnosis requires invasive laparoscopic surgery, many women go undiagnosed for
years, even decades. While the disorder has remained much of a mystery to the
medical community, recent research is shedding new light on why women develop
endometriosis and how doctors can more effectively treat it to restore
fertility.
“Endometriosis is an enigma on several fronts,” notes Dr.
Mark Leondires, MD, a board-certified endocrinologist and medical director at
RMA of CT. He explains that the basic cause of endometriosis is the back flow,
or reflux, of menstrual tissue into the reproductive organs, namely the
fallopian tubes and the ovaries. “This occurs at one time or another in about
95% of women,” Dr. Leondires says, “But only about 5% of women develop
endometriosis. That's the first mystery; why does this occur in some women, but
not in others?” Another puzzling aspect of the condition, Dr. Leondires adds, is
that endometriosis does not pose an obstacle to fertility for some women, yet
for others, getting pregnant is a significant challenge.
Finding the
Answers
“Scientists have been working to answer these questions, and as they
have begun establishing a better understanding of the disease, we are able to
develop more effective treatment protocols for endometriosis-related
infertility,” Dr. Leondires explains.
For example, because endometrial
tissue grows in response to the rise in estrogen during a woman's cycle,
researchers have been working to uncover ways to better regulate estrogen levels
in women with endometriosis. A new Japanese study, published in the April, 2005
issue of Fertility & Sterility, found that an immune-enhancing compound
called Interleukin-6 (IL-6) was effective at regulating those levels.
Other recent studies have pointed to genetics as a differentiator
between women who develop endometriosis and those who don't, as well as between
endometriosis sufferers who have difficulty achieving a pregnancy versus those
who are fertile. In one study reported in the July, 2003 issue of Endocrinology,
Stanford University researchers studied the uterine tissue of fifteen women with
endometriosis-related infertility, and found that certain genes which controlled
implantation, immune response to the embryo and other pregnancy-related factors
were malfunctioning. In addition, the scientists found that a certain enzyme
needed to ensure healthy implantation was missing in the women with
endometriosis. “These are important discoveries that have led to new treatment
approaches for endometriosis sufferers who want to become pregnant,” Dr.
Leondires explains.
And research reported in the April 2005 edition of
Human Reproduction confirms that oxidative stress can lead to or exacerbate
endometriosis. The medical community has suspected such a link for years,
theorizing that a healthy lifestyle and diet rich in antioxidants – which can
counteract oxidative damage to the body's cells – could protect some women
against endometriosis-related fertility.
A comprehensive treatment
approach
With these new discoveries in mind, Dr. Leondires notes that a
comprehensive approach to endometriosis-related infertility is often most
successful.
He recommends the following four-step plan:
Surgical
Intervention - “Once we determine that endometriosis is a contributing factor to
infertility, the first step is often surgery to remove the endometrial tissue
that might be blocking the ovaries or fallopian tubes, and any endometrial
masses in the uterus” Dr. Leondires explains.
Lifestyle Changes - As with
anyone struggling with infertility, patients are also encouraged to adopt
healthy lifestyles and switch to an antioxidant-rich diet of fruits, vegetables
and whole grains. “Good nutrition and fitness supports the entire process of
infertility treatment,” Dr. Leondires notes.
Drug Therapies - Medications
can be prescribed that have been shown to ready the lining of the uterus to make
it more receptive to implantation, including the breast cancer drug Letrozole,
along with Lupron and Danazol. These have been shown to increase implantation
rates when used in conjunction with the next step, assisted reproductive
technologies.
ART Approaches - “Once these initial steps have been taken
to address the effects of endometriosis on the reproductive system, we tend to
see more successful results with assisted reproductive technologies like In
Vitro Fertilization (IVF) or Intrauterine Insemination,” Dr. Leondires
says.
Bio:
Dr. Mark P. Leondires, M.D., FACOG, is a leading authority
on reproductive medicine. Dr. Leondires is board certified in Reproductive
Endocrinology and Infertility. He is a member of the Society of Reproductive
Endocrinologists, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the
American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Dr. Leondires earned his medical
degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and completed his
residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Maine Medical Center in Portland,
Maine. Dr. Leondires completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and
Infertility at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. After
completion of his training, he fulfilled his military obligation by serving as
the ART Director for the largest and most successful program in the military
health care system at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. During this time he was
an Assistant Professor at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences
and clinical faculty for the Combined Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology.
Dr. Leondires is currently Medical Director and lead physician with Reproductive
Medicine Associates of Connecticut (RMA-CT) in Norwalk. Along with numerous
teaching and research activities, Dr. Leondires has published articles in
professional medical journals, national consumer magazines and newspapers, as
well as abstracts and book chapters. More information about Reproductive
Medicine Associates of Connecticut is available at www.rmact.com.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/7/prweb261563.htm