In some cases, fertilisation outside the woman’s body (in vitro fertilisation, IVF) is the only way of effectively treating infertility caused by endometriosis. After medication has been taken to stimulate the ovarian follicles, several ova are harvested from the ovaries with the aid of a needle, they are fertilised outside the woman’s body and re-implanted in the uterine cavity a short time later. In an intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a single sperm is injected directly into the ovum under the microscope (see picture above).

This method is not a treatment for endometriosis. However, the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy and breast-feeding may have a beneficial effect and relieve the endometriosis for a long time.