Adenomyosis is a disease that affects women and has its origin when the tissue that lines the uterine cavity infiltrates its muscular wall. The displaced tissue continues to function normally, thickens, degrades and causes bleeding during each menstrual cycle.
The result can be an enlarged uterus and periods of severe pain. A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gyneacology this same month, in which more than 330,000 women were evaluated, shows that this pathology affects 0.8% of women, with the highest incidence after 40 years, where the incidence is 1.5%.
Although it is often confused, due to its symptoms, with endometriosis, it is not the same condition, although in almost 20% of cases they appear together.
In the same way that happens with endometriosis, its causes are still unknown, although its appearance is usually related to the hormonal activity of the ovaries, especially with the estrogen.
Among its symptoms, apart from the discomfort it causes, both prolonged and heavy menstrual bleeding and acute pelvic pain can appear, which can become chronic. In addition, the situation can occur that the uterus increases in size, which causes some pressure in the pelvic area and sensitivity in the abdomen.
Despite the complexity of its diagnosis, improvements in current ultrasound machines, especially 3D ultrasound, such as greater awareness of its existence allow a better diagnosis, although the definitive one must be histopathological
To diagnose this condition, a first pelvic exam is required to determine the size of the uterus, since it can cause its size to increase two or three times. In a second phase, a uterine ultrasound or magnetic resonance should be performed in case of not being able to obtain enough information with the first one.
Does adenomyosis affect fertility?
Although adenomyosis does not have a direct impact on fertility, it can alter the transport of spermatozoa on their way to the Ovum hindering embryo implantation and hindering natural pregnancy.
In the cases in which the patient must resort to assisted reproduction treatment, no specific treatment regimen has been described that has been shown to improve the results in these cases. In any case, it seems that inhibiting ovarian function with GnRH agonists could improve the results in these patients, although published studies have limited scientific evidence
In a first phase, ovarian stimulation must be produced to extract the largest possible number of oocytes to fertilize them in the laboratory and carry out the transfer, as part of an In Vitro Fertilization treatment, or else choose to vitrify them so that the patient decides which one. it is the best time to seek pregnancy.
