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Adhesions

By , About.com Guide

Updated March 27, 2009

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Common endometrial growth sites.

Endometrial growths usually form in the pelvic region, including on or near the ovaries, but they can also appear less commonly near the rectum, the vagina, the fallopian tubes, or even in the urinary tract or gastrointestinal tract.

Photo © A.D.A.M.
Definition:

Abnormal bands of scar tissue that join together organs and parts of organs that are not normally joined together. They can be caused by certain diseases or from previous abdominal surgery. Adhesions may cause infertility by preventing the egg and sperm from meeting, by interfering with ovulation, or by making the uterus inhospitable to a fertilized embryo. Adhesions are one possible cause of blocked fallopian tubes.

Endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) can cause adhesions that interfere with your ability to get pregnant. Asherman’s Syndrome, or uterine synechiae, are when adhesions form inside the uterus, causing infertility or recurrent miscarriage.

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