‘I ignored period pain, then my organs got stuck together’: How a 31-year-old teacher beat endometriosis to birth a child

Sunanda’s symptoms were subtle yet persistent. She had pelvic pain, digestive discomfort and irregular ovulation cycles. It was only after she underwent detailed tests at Motherhood Hospital, Kharghar, including transvaginal sonography (TVS) and color Doppler scans, that the extent of her condition became clear. “My left fallopian tube was damaged and overlapped with my intestine. Because of that, even eating something as simple as bread caused unbearable pain. I had noticed it especially during my time in Europe. I ate a lot of bread there and my pain worsened,” she says.

Like many women, she normalised the suffering until she failed to conceive after four years of marriage.

Why endometriosis affects fertility

The overgrown tissue can cause pelvic organs to stick together, block fallopian tubes and reduce egg quality, with 30% to50% of people with the condition facing infertility. Inflammation hinders ovulation and implantation of the embryo. “Her left fallopian tube was severely affected and almost ‘frozen’ alongside surrounding organs,” says Dr Surabhi Siddhartha, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Motherhood Hospitals. “Endometriosis often causes organs to stick together due to scar tissue, making natural conception difficult.” She needed surgery to clear out the overgrowth.

A multi-step intervention

Sunanda had advanced laparoscopic surgery to remove cysts and sticky tissue mass. Then she was put on hormonal injections (Leuprolide) to suppress residual endometriotic tissue. In March 2025, she conceived naturally and delivered a 3.1 kg baby girl in October via planned C-section.

The birth seemed easier compared to the surgery to remove the overgrown tissue, according to Dr Siddhartha. “We discovered that the uterus had stuck to the bladder in the front and the intestines behind. Separating these organs required extreme precision to avoid injury. The aim was to restore normal anatomy so natural conception could occur,” she says. The surgery lasted nearly two hours. Sunanda then needed three cycles of hormonal injections to suppress remaining endometriotic tissue and allow her reproductive system to heal.

Diet played a crucial role in her recovery and conception. “After my laparoscopy, I gave up bread completely; no burgers, pizza and pav. I also gave up packaged and processed foods,” says Sunanda. Before conceiving, she also added an empty stomach morning routine that included ½–1 teaspoon of overnight soaked fenugreek seeds, a walnut, five almonds and five to six raisins. She stopped drinking fenugreek water once she conceived.

Her breakfast included simple home-cooked foods such as upma, poha, idli, dosa followed by a cup of tea. Her mid-morning snacks were fresh fruits. For lunch she packed home-cooked roti, bhaji and salad followed by roasted seeds and makhana for evening snacks. She would eat dinner by 7 pm.

“Under my doctor’s guidance, I included Vitamin C-rich foods such as amla, murabba and strawberries. Since I am a vegetarian, I also had a homemade probiotic drink called kanji made of carrots and beetroots. I exercised regularly. In short, diet and activity were real game-changers,” she says. That’s why she conceived naturally within two to three months of surgery.

“This is not unusual,” explains Dr Siddhartha. “With timely surgery, hormonal support and careful monitoring, many women with severe endometriosis can still conceive naturally. It requires precision and close follow-up but outcomes can be remarkable.”

Monitoring pregnancy

Given the extent of adhesions, Sunanda’s pregnancy was closely monitored. “We recommended a planned C-section to ensure safety. What mattered were frequent antenatal visits, hormonal support and careful observation of both mother and baby,” says Dr Siddhartha, adding cases like Sunanda’s are increasingly common in India.

“Previously, endometriosis was rare, perhaps one in a thousand women. Now, in clinical practice, it is closer to one in a hundred. We see women mostly above 26 years of age, though even those as young as 24 are being diagnosed in our clinic,” she says. Lifestyle factors such as sedentary habits, dietary patterns and delayed child-bearing are contributing to this spiral. “But most women do not understand what their menstrual pain means. Many women consider severe cramps normal. Pain that affects your daily routine and digestion during cycles, leads to irregular ovulation or difficulty conceiving are warning signs that require evaluation,” says Dr Siddhartha.

During menstruation, retrograde blood flow can carry uterine-like tissue to the ovaries, fallopian tubes or pelvic tissue. Over time, this forms cysts, known as chocolate cysts and adhesions leading to what is called a “frozen pelvis.” That’s why, Dr Siddhartha says, consult a doctor before reaching out for the pill.