Endometriosis, one of the common organic causes of female infertility, is a condition in which endometrial tissue, the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus, grows outside the uterus and gets attached to other organs in the abdominal cavity such as the fallopian tubes and ovaries. Symptoms of endometriosis include abnormal menstrual bleeding, severe pain during menstrual periods, painful urination, and pain during or after sexual intercourse. Endometriosis is a progressive disease that tends to get worse over time.
Prevalence of Endometriosis
Endometriosis is estimated to affect over one million women (estimates range from 3% to 18% of women) in the United States. It is one of the leading causes of pelvic pain and reasons for laparoscopic surgery and hysterectomy in the country. The condition is more prevalent in white women as compared with African American and Asian women.
Endometriosis affects women in their reproductive years with most cases diagnosed in women aged around 25-35 years. It has also been reported in girls as young as 11 years of age. Endometriosis is rare in postmenopausal women. Again, many women may have the condition but without any symptoms.
Diagnosis of Endometriosis
After a medical history and pelvic exam is completed, a laparoscopy is necessary to confirm a diagnosis of endometriosis. The physician then classifies the endometriosis condition as stage 1 (minimal), stage 2 (mild), stage 3 (moderate) or stage 4 (extensive) based on the amount of scarring and diseased tissue found. The best line of treatment is then worked out based on the stage of endometriosis, and may include medication or surgery, or a combination of both.
How Does Endometriosis impact fertility?
The reasons for a decrease in fertility among women with endometriosis might be due to both anatomic and hormonal factors. The presence of endometriosis may involve masses of tissue or scarring (adhesions) within the pelvis that may distort the Fallopian tubes. The scarring and adhesions that takes place may mean that the ovaries and fallopian tubes are not in the right position, so the transfer of the egg to the fallopian tubes cannot take place. Again it also affects the safe passage of the egg down the fallopian tube to the uterus.
Endometriosis is an autoimmune disease and can be associated with other autoimmune issues that can lead to implantation failure and pregnancy loss.
Endometriosis may affect fertility because of the over-production of prostaglandins which are hormones that play an important role in the fertilization of the egg and implantation of the embryo.
Endometriosis may also result in the formation of ovarian cysts called endometrioma that may also interfere with ovulation.
Since painful intercourse is often an outcome of endometriosis, it reduces the chances of conception.
Treatment Options for endometriosis induced infertility
Many women with endometriosis have children without difficulty. Others become pregnant eventually with the help of a combination of medical therapy, surgery, and assisted reproduction techniques.
Surgical treatment
Surgery for endometriosis-related infertility aims to get rid of any endometriosis and adhesions present. If the endometriosis has damaged any organs, or resulted in them being stuck down in abnormal positions, the surgery will also try to repair the damage and restore the anatomy of the organs to as close as possible to their normal positioning.
In women with minimal to mild endometriosis, laparoscopic surgery is an effective treatment for endometriosis-related infertility, as it leads to better pregnancy rates.
A Positive Note
Most women with endometriosis will still be able to conceive, especially those with minimal to mild endometriosis. However women with moderate to severe endometriosis tend to have more difficulty conceiving.
However, the heartening news is that having endometriosis does not automatically mean that you will never have children. Rather, it means that you may face problems in the journey towards parenthood.
At East Bay Fertility Center California (www.ebfertlity.com), we recommend In-vitro fertilization (IVF) as the therapy of choice for severe cases of endometriosis. Endometriosis and pelvic adhesions are sometimes also treated by laparoscopy.
Our experienced medical staff is headed by Dr. Ellen U. Snowden, Medical Director and physician. Dr Snowden is Board Certified in Obstetric, Gynecology, and Reproductive Endocrinology, with advanced Fellowship training in the treatment of infertility, recurrent miscarriages and hormonal disorders in women. Dr. Snowden brings to her patients a rare and valuable firsthand empathy for the personal pain and emotional stress of dealing with infertility.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Financial Assistance for Fertility Treatment
When a couple decides to pursue treatment for infertility, they have to handle not just the emotional and physical strains that the process brings about; the cost of treatment is very often a cause for concern and is a driving factor that ultimately influences the treatment options. Infertility treatments are expensive and place a considerable financial strain on couples.
The cost of fertility treatment include the fees for initial tests and diagnosis, consultation fees and the cost of fertility drugs and assisted reproductive technology that is opted for. It is essential to analyze the health coverage and insurance options available in order to navigate through the confusing maze of financial aspects of fertility treatment.
Insurance Coverage for Infertility Treatment
The first step involves understanding the type of coverage your insurance policy provides for infertility treatment and the eligibility criteria. This is very critical since an absence of insurance coverage would mean paying for the treatment from your own resources which can be a very daunting possibility.
More specifically figure out if your policy provides benefits for in vitro fertilization. Most often insurance companies do not cover infertility treatment or offer only partial coverage for infertility treatment. Typically, the use of donor eggs and donor sperm is not covered by infertility insurance.
But the good news is that infertility insurance is now compulsory in certain states and available for private purchase throughout the United States. With the number of Americans facing fertility issues rising, fertility treatment is being seen more as a necessity than as a luxury. Hence infertility insurance is becoming more and more popular.
Standard Health Insurance
Some U.S. states have laws that pertain to insurance coverage related to infertility treatment. These laws however vary by state. Standard health insurance stipulates that a monthly premium be paid in exchange for specific fertility coverage. Some states have a mandate requiring all employers with more than 50 employees to offer health care coverage that includes some type of fertility insurance.
Other states have no mandate requiring employers to offer fertility insurance.
Unsecured loans
Organizations that specialize in IVF loans provide unsecured loans for coverage of infertility treatment and pharmaceutical care. The reason why pharmaceutical care also requires coverage is because it can cost up to 20% to 30% of the total expense of treatment. Other loan organizations provide financing for IVF as well as non-medical needs. These organizations also offer a refund guarantee in which the patient will be given a refund of the money spent, in the event that there is no live birth at the end of the treatment.
Some patients choose to obtain a personal loan from their banks or opt to invest in a low interest credit card account meant exclusively to take care of medical charges for their infertility treatment.
Low-Cost IVF
There are options wherein IVF treatment can be obtained at a reduced cost. These options include:
• Joining an IVF program at on overseas clinic in countries such as India where IVF treatment is available at a lower cost
• Participating in an IVF research program
• Sourcing clinics that specifically offer low-cost infertility treatment
Fertility clinics are sensitive to the financial implications of fertility treatment. Most fertility clinics offer several financial options to couples in order to minimize the financial burden. Their financial counsellors provide guidance and work with couples to determine the best financial options available. Most fertility clinics offer a discounted rate to in vitro fertilization patients who have no insurance coverage.
East Bay Fertility Center, Dublin, California offers various financial packages in order to make the cost of treatment affordable. Diagnostic testing and IUI (artificial insemination) may be covered by insurance depending on the diagnosis. In an effort to assist patients in these tough economic times, East Bay Fertility Center is providing in house financing and also offers corporate discounts. The cost for testing and treatment will be reviewed with each patient at the time of the free initial consultation.
For more details log on to http://www.ebfertility.com/financial.html
The cost of fertility treatment include the fees for initial tests and diagnosis, consultation fees and the cost of fertility drugs and assisted reproductive technology that is opted for. It is essential to analyze the health coverage and insurance options available in order to navigate through the confusing maze of financial aspects of fertility treatment.
Insurance Coverage for Infertility Treatment
The first step involves understanding the type of coverage your insurance policy provides for infertility treatment and the eligibility criteria. This is very critical since an absence of insurance coverage would mean paying for the treatment from your own resources which can be a very daunting possibility.
More specifically figure out if your policy provides benefits for in vitro fertilization. Most often insurance companies do not cover infertility treatment or offer only partial coverage for infertility treatment. Typically, the use of donor eggs and donor sperm is not covered by infertility insurance.
But the good news is that infertility insurance is now compulsory in certain states and available for private purchase throughout the United States. With the number of Americans facing fertility issues rising, fertility treatment is being seen more as a necessity than as a luxury. Hence infertility insurance is becoming more and more popular.
Standard Health Insurance
Some U.S. states have laws that pertain to insurance coverage related to infertility treatment. These laws however vary by state. Standard health insurance stipulates that a monthly premium be paid in exchange for specific fertility coverage. Some states have a mandate requiring all employers with more than 50 employees to offer health care coverage that includes some type of fertility insurance.
Other states have no mandate requiring employers to offer fertility insurance.
Unsecured loans
Organizations that specialize in IVF loans provide unsecured loans for coverage of infertility treatment and pharmaceutical care. The reason why pharmaceutical care also requires coverage is because it can cost up to 20% to 30% of the total expense of treatment. Other loan organizations provide financing for IVF as well as non-medical needs. These organizations also offer a refund guarantee in which the patient will be given a refund of the money spent, in the event that there is no live birth at the end of the treatment.
Some patients choose to obtain a personal loan from their banks or opt to invest in a low interest credit card account meant exclusively to take care of medical charges for their infertility treatment.
Low-Cost IVF
There are options wherein IVF treatment can be obtained at a reduced cost. These options include:
• Joining an IVF program at on overseas clinic in countries such as India where IVF treatment is available at a lower cost
• Participating in an IVF research program
• Sourcing clinics that specifically offer low-cost infertility treatment
Fertility clinics are sensitive to the financial implications of fertility treatment. Most fertility clinics offer several financial options to couples in order to minimize the financial burden. Their financial counsellors provide guidance and work with couples to determine the best financial options available. Most fertility clinics offer a discounted rate to in vitro fertilization patients who have no insurance coverage.
East Bay Fertility Center, Dublin, California offers various financial packages in order to make the cost of treatment affordable. Diagnostic testing and IUI (artificial insemination) may be covered by insurance depending on the diagnosis. In an effort to assist patients in these tough economic times, East Bay Fertility Center is providing in house financing and also offers corporate discounts. The cost for testing and treatment will be reviewed with each patient at the time of the free initial consultation.
For more details log on to http://www.ebfertility.com/financial.html
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