How does endometriosis affect infertility?

Abstract

Prospective and retrospective clinical trials suggest a decreased oocyte and embryo quality in women with endometriosis. Based on these observations, the authors described an altered intrafollicular milieu in endometriosis, which explains the bad quality oocytes and the resulting embryos with lower capacity to implant. Whether these changes affect the oocytes or are the consequence of genomic alterations manifested by biochemical and chromosomal differences in healthy women is an unresolved issue. If the effects of endometriosis on follicular development are nongenomic in origin, modulation of the process of folliculogenesis may be sufficient to treat the disease and cure infertility associated with endometriosis. A genomic defect needs specific genetic therapy, which currently is not available.