Medical Treatment for Endometriosis

Currently, there is no cure for endometriosis although in most patients menopause (natural or surgical) will abate the process. Nevertheless, a hysterectomy or removal of the ovaries will not guarantee that the endometriosis areas and/or the symptoms will not come back.

Medical management includes anti-inflammatories and pain medication; surgery; hormone treatments such as progesterone, the oral contraceptive pill and GnRH agonists; and steroids such as Danocrine. Danocrine inhibits the growth of endometriosis but its use is limited as it may cause hirsutism (excess hair growth).

Infertility Treatments and Endometriosis

In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedures are effective in improving fertility in many women with endometriosis. Laparoscopy to remove or vaporise the growths in women who have mild or minimal endometriosis is also effective in improving fertility. Some studies show that surgery can double the pregnancy rate.

In patients with small amounts of endometriosis, treatment with fertility medication may be successful.

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