Endometriosis and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) are two of the most common gynecological conditions affecting women during their reproductive years.
Both can lead to fertility challenges and long-term health risks, though they have different causes and characteristics.
What is Endometriosis?
Endometriosis happens when tissue similar to the lining inside the uterus (endometrium) grows outside the uterus, often on the pelvic lining, ovaries, or in the space between the vagina and rectum. It affects about 1 in 10 women and can make it harder to get pregnant, with 30% to 50% experiencing fertility problems. It is also linked to chronic health issues like cardiovascular disease.
A confirmed diagnosis requires surgery-most often laparoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure with a small camera, or sometimes a laparotomy, a more invasive method.
What is PCOS?
PCOS affects 6% to 15% of women and is a leading cause of infertility. It can also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. There is no single test for PCOS. Doctors use guidelines such as the Rotterdam Criteria, NIH Criteria, or Androgen Excess and PCOS Society (AE-PCOS) Criteria.
According to AE-PCOS guidelines, after ruling out other causes, a woman may be diagnosed with PCOS if she has at least two of the following:
- Irregular or prolonged menstrual cycles
- High androgen levels in blood tests
- Symptoms of androgen excess – excess facial/body hair, acne, or thinning scalp hair
- Multiple small ovarian cysts seen on ultrasound
How are uterine fibroids connected
Fibroids are non-cancerous growths inside the uterus, while PCOD involves small ovarian cysts that disrupt egg release.A large six-year U.S. study of over 23,000 African American women found that those with PCOD were 65% more likely to develop fibroids. This may be due to long periods of estrogen exposure when ovulation is infrequent, creating conditions that encourage fibroid growth. Some research, however, suggests that certain fibroid types may be less common in women with PCOD, making the connection complex and in need of further study.Infertile women with PCOS have a significantly lower prevalence of non-cavity-distorting uterine fibroids compared to those with unexplained infertility.
Fibroids and PCOD have some things in common, but they are also different in many ways. Although doctors are still studying the exact link between them, it’s important to get advice from a medical expert for both conditions, as they can greatly affect reproductive health and fertility.
Treatment options
Some of the medicines used to treat PCOS can also help manage the symptoms of uterine fibroids in the beginning. However, if the body keeps producing enough estrogen or possibility having decreased progesterone, fibroids may continue to slowly grow. As they get bigger, symptoms like heavy periods, pelvic pain, or frequent urination may no longer respond well to medication.
When this happens, a non-surgical treatment called uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) can be considered. UFE is a safe, well-tested procedure done by a specialised doctor called an interventional radiologist. It works in more than 90% of cases to control major fibroid symptoms. UFE has fewer risks than surgeries like myomectomy (removing fibroids) or hysterectomy (removing the uterus), and recovery is much quicker.
Most women with fibroids – even those also dealing with PCOS – can be treated by UFE. In many cases, the procedure takes about 30 minutes, and most women recover in about a week.
If you have symptoms from fibroids and want to know if UFE can help, speak to a doctor who specializes in this treatment. With the right care, painful fibroid symptoms don’t have to be part of your life anymore.