Increased risk of endo recurring after c-section???

Hi. Not sure if this is the appropriate spot to be posting (pls move mods if suitable somewhere else). Anyway, I read an old magazine article on a woman that had a c-section for her first child and with her second pregnancy she unfortunately had an ectopic pregnancy due to endo being present in one of her tubes. The article made out that she got the endo as a result of the c-section and she'd never had endo previously to her knowledge.

I've had endo and had it removed about 10yrs ago and haven't had a problem since and have been lucky enough to have one child thus far (after being told I'd have 25% chance of getting pregnant). I ended up having to have a c-section with her and am now 6 months down the track with TTC a second, so just wondered how correct this article was.

Anyway, just wondered if anyone had heard you can get a reoccurrence or occurrence of endo after having a c-section?? I would've thought endo couldn't possibly be caused by a c-section or any type of surgery in that region??

I have only read theoretically (don't have Endo and not had a section, my sister has endo but can't have kids) but it seems that endo "likes" scar tissue and adhesion tissue better than normal tissue. Having said that, it was unclear in the books and things i've seen if the association is because endo CAUSES scarring (which it does) or because it seeks it out.

Also IF the endo prefers scarring, that wouldn't explain why the woman in the article got it in her fallopian tube, since there would be no surgical scarring there (unless he slipped with the knife and nicked her there?).

As far as i know they aren't sure what causes Endo, but i do know the incidence is FAR FAR lower in the eastern countries where women wear loose clothing over their abdomens. Women in India for example suffer almost never. That would suggest that pressure on the uterus is encouraging endometrial cells to migrate elsewhere through the fallopian tubes, but then some women have it on the outside of the bowel/uterus etc. and NOT in the tubes... This post has been no use at all eh!? Sorry!

Hopefully someone who knows more and has real experience will show up. If i were you i'd try not to worry about it just yet. You've HAD the section now, you can't change that, and you know about your Endo so you can watch out for signs while TTC and mention it as a concern. Do you feel your Endo symptoms are returning?

Bx

Hi Amygirl!
I think I read that magazine article and it made me wonder whether this was the reason for my endo. I fell pregnant with my son easily and had a hassle free pregnancy which ended with me having a C-Section. I had previously had no symptoms of endometriosis, however after havinf my son I had developed endometriosis.

I think the problem is and most doctors will tell you the same thing, there is not a lot known about how or why endometriosis develops and therefore they cannot definitively tell you that it was caused by 'A' or 'B'. There are however several theories out there and the C-Section is one of them.

HTH's =)