Endometriosis that causes debilitating pain and very heavy periods can have a serious impact on a woman’s quality of life. It can also make it hard to conceive and can leave a woman facing difficult choices regarding her plans for a family.
Complications of endometriosis include the appearance of ovarian cysts. If these rupture, are very large or block the blood supply to the ovaries, then this can cause pain, urinary problems and digestive problems. Large ovarian cysts may lead to a condition called ovarian torsion, a rare complication which sees the ovary twist on the tissues that support it. If not treated promptly, it can cause the ovary to die.
Sometimes ‘sticky’ areas of endometriosis tissue may cause organs to join together, requiring surgery to separate them.