Endometriosis Infertility & Pain Treatment Potential

Dr. Shahryar Kavoussi, multiple Patients’ Choice Award winner and Medical Director of Austin Fertility and Reproductive Medicine/Westlake IVF in Austin, Texas, found in a scientific study that a class of medications known as Thiazolidinediones (“TZDs”) inhibits the growth of endometriosis cells in vitro, providing a profound relief of endometriosis-related pain and treatment of infertility.  In this collaborative study published in the December, 2013 issue of Endocrinology, the medical journal of the Endocrine Society, Dr.Kavoussi and his esteemed peers found that in experimental endometriosis, TZDs decrease the growth of endometriosis cells by decreasing estrogen production within the cells and by other mechanisms as well.  Endometriosis affects 6 – 10% of reproductive age women and is a persistent gynecological disease in which cells that typically line the womb grow outside uterus, leading to persistent pelvic pain, irregular bleeding and difficulty conceiving.

According to Dr. Shahryar, “This basic science study shows that this class of medication can treat endometriosis cells grown in laboratory dishes.  If shown to be safe and efficacious in treating endometriosis in the human body, this class of medication shows promise in treating endometriosis-related pain and infertility at the same time.

“Currently, medications cannot treat both infertility and pelvic pain related to endometriosis at the same time.  The possibility of this class of medications to concurrently treat both endometriosis-associated infertility and endometriotic pain was an exciting opportunity, especially with the terrific collaborators involved in this study.” 

Read more about this fertility research or learn more about Endometriosis and other Fertility Treatments.