"I am posting this morning on behalf of a friend who suffers
from severe endometriosis (with her permission). She is of the understanding
that pregnancy and lactation can lead to a remission of symptoms and, given
the unlikelihood of conceiving, she is strongly considering inducing lactation"

Endometriosis is a chronic condition in which endometrial tissue grows outside of the uterus (can actually be anywhere in the body) and is stimulated at menstruation, just as the lining of the uterus is, causing bleeding, often into the abdominal cavity. The pain can be extremely debilitating. While it is an inflammatory condition, it is not an infection, although it is certainly possible that an infection may precipitate its development at some point (no one seems to know). Many women are infertile b/c the tissue adheres to reproductive organs and may damage or destroy them. It is diagnosed by laparoscopy and graded 1-4, like cancer is. The typical treatments may cause infertilty themselves and include harsh drugs and surgery.

When I was diagnosed with endometriosis at 26, it was graded 2-3 and I was told that the GYN could only find one fallopian tube, my ovaries were severely scarred from the monthly bleeding and it was unlikely I would ever conceive.The only pain I have ever experienced worse than from endometriosis (for three years) was a kidney stone. Labor pales by comparison and I used heavy-duty painkillers just to function.

The reason that pregnancy provides immediate relief is b/c you do not bleed and normal physiological lactation will continue to suppress ovulation. Induced lactation, especially without an infant suckling at the breast, is not likely to be sufficient to suppress ovulation.

But, pregnancy is not how I cured my endometriosis. Endometriosis was my teacher--it led me to natural medicine--I serendipitously discovered homeopathy the same day I was diagnosed and within 6 mos of eliminating all cow milk from my diet and using constitutional homeopathy, I was completely without symptoms. I have three children--the longest conception took 3 mos and have never experienced the pain again. What I did also, thanks to the homeopath's methodology, was explore the reasons why my body created this condition, so that I was able to take willful action to heal it.

Oddly, my neighbor at the time, who was diagnosed a few months after me, chose surgery and became infertile when the adhesions from the surgery crushed her ovaries. For me, endometriosis led me to natural medicine, homebirth and everything else that makes sense in my life. It can be very difficult to embrace illness, but it can also be the most powerful way to heal.
Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA

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