RESEARCH shows patients with endometriosis are being told to plan a pregnancy to help manage or treat the condition, despite a lack of evidence to show it reduces symptoms.
The controversial advice has prompted calls to improve medical education about endometriosis.
More than 3,000 medically diagnosed patients were surveyed across the globe as part of the collaborative study involving researchers from the University of Adelaide, University of Sydney and EndoActive, a charity focusing on awareness, information, and advocacy.
The research, which focused on patient experiences, revealed more than half (1,892 of 3,347 total) were advised to fall pregnant or have a baby to manage or treat endometriosis, which can include severe pelvic pain and infertility.
Almost 90% (1,691 of 1,892) of endometriosis patients were given this recommendation by healthcare professionals, including gynaecologists and GPs, with 36% told it would cure their painful condition.
"Pregnancy or having a baby isn't a treatment for endometriosis and this advice from health professionals can have negative impacts on those who receive it," said co-author Prof Louise Hull, a fertility expert from the University of Adelaide's Robinson Research Institute.
Although the advice is well-meaning, in modern practice, there are better ways of dealing with fertility concerns for people with endometriosis, commented the researchers.
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