Pregnancy

Most people with endometriosis have normal, healthy pregnancies, which are usually low risk. You may find your endometriosis symptoms improve or disappear altogether, but they are likely to return after your pregnancy, usually when your hormones start to return to normal.

In some cases, having endometriosis can increase the risk of complications. These complications can include:

Placenta previa

• A condition that occurs when the placenta is low in the uterus, covering all or part of the cervix. As a result, the delivery of your baby must happen via caesarean section. This is a common condition and can be discussed with your obstetrician.

Miscarriage

• A miscarriage is the loss of an embryo or fetus before the twentieth week of pregnancy (after this, it’s a stillbirth). One in four pregnancies result in miscarriage, so it’s not uncommon.1 Some studies have shown an increased risk of miscarriage in people with specific types of endometriosis.2

Preterm birth

• A preterm birth (or premature birth) is a baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. A full-term delivery is roughly 40 weeks.

Preeclampsia

• A complication during pregnancy that causes high blood pressure and protein in the urine. If your doctor believes you are at increased risk of developing preeclampsia, they may prescribe Aspirin and Calcium supplements during the pregnancy to decrease these risks.

¹ The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG), Pregnancy Loss [PDF 2.5MB], RANZCOG, n.d., accessed 18 July 2021. https://ranzcog.edu.au/RANZCOG_SITE/media/RANZCOG-MEDIA/Women%27s%20Health/Patient%20information/Pregnancy-Loss_2.pdf?ext=.pdf

² A Schwartz, M Wolfler, V Mitter, P Imesch, D Fink and B Leeners, ‘Endometriosis, especially mild disease: a risk factor for miscarriages’, Fertility and Sterility, 2017, 108(5):806-814, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-010-9436-1.