Four children despite endometriosis

by Anonymous

I was diagnosed with endometriosis when I was 24 in 1971. I had been married a year and after diagnosis, I was taken into hospital for laparotomy.

As I was prepared for the operation I remember the consultant asking me if I wanted to have children. Yes! Of course!

When I came round from the operation I discovered that my right ovary had been removed because it was totally covered with endometrioisis and my left ovary had had a large cyst removed but the ovary remained.

In those days the only advice they gave me was to try and get pregnant as soon as possible! But, it was good advice - 2 years later my eldest daughter was born.

Three years after that her sister was born and just 22 months later I gave birth to a third daughter. How lucky was I?

Obviously not lucky enough because 7 years after the birth of my third daughter I had another daughter! ( a big surprise as I was using the 'coil' for birth control!).

So the whole point of this story is to encourage women with endometriosis not to be discouraged by their diagnosis - even with one functioning ovary I ended up with 4 children!

We are light years ahead, in medical terms, from my experience, so stay positive! My story cannot be unique. (PS. I now have 4 grandchildren and counting.......)