Often called the ‘silent disease’, endometriosis affects one in nine women and takes on average 6.75 years to be diagnosed. It can lead to infertility and is often accompanied with pelvic pain, and while there are medical and surgical treatment options, there is no cure.
Now, a team of Mercy Health researchers is collaborating with other scientists, clinicians and researchers from around Victoria to improve health outcomes for women suffering from this chronic condition.
Mercy Health gynaecologist Dr Samantha Mooney, along with colleagues Dr Lenore Ellett, Dr Lauren Hicks, Dr Helen McNamara and Associate Professor Emma Readman, are members of the leading Australian endometriosis research group ‘End-IT Endometriosis’, working hard to deliver on a number of projects designed to progress how we diagnose and treat women with endometriosis.
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (endometrium) is found developing in other areas of the pelvis. Endometriosis is also associated with lower pregnancy rates.
One of the projects Samantha and her colleagues are investigating is focused on whether surgical intervention for women with moderate or severe endometriosis will result in better pregnancy outcomes.
“In Australia, 15 per cent of women self-report fertility problems and it is estimated that 30- 40 per cent of the women with infertility have endometriosis,” Samantha explains.
“There is high level evidence to support surgical treatment of minimal to mild endometriosis to improve fertility outcomes. However, there is no clear evidence about the effect of surgically removing moderate and severe endometriosis on the chance of pregnancy.”
Mercy Health gynaecologist Dr Sam Mooney
Many women express a strong desire to protect their future ability to become pregnant, Samantha says, which puts them in a difficult situation if they are diagnosed with endometriosis.
“Do they have it treated surgically, with the associated risks, or do they leave it alone, in which case it might grow and be a greater risk to their dreams of future children?” she says. “That is just one of the questions we are hoping to answer from our research projects.
“To be able to provide clear advice about what the most effective treatment option is for each woman we see with endometriosis, would be a wonderful outcome from this important research. Ultimately, we want to see more women like Kavitha, who has just delivered beautiful triplets following multiple surgeries for her endometriosis, achieve their family dreams and to live without endometriosis pain.”
To learn more about the research projects that Samantha and the End-IT team are working on, visit: endometriosis.org.au
On cloud nine
Overjoyed mother of triplets Kavitha Sutharsanan says there was a time in her life when she doubted whether she would ever become a parent.
Kavitha, whose family grew to four little girls in February, has almost lost count of the number of keyhole surgeries she has endured due to endometriosis.
“It has been a silent journey. I don’t speak about it even with family but now I’m on cloud nine with this wonderful outcome at Mercy Hospital for Women,” she says.
“Two years ago, my husband Andy and I met a doctor who made all my dreams come true, enabling us to become parents of four beautiful little girls.”
On April 9 2020, Kavitha’s first daughter Reyna was born.
Then in the middle of 2022, there was more excitement, with the revelation that triplets were on the way. Amira, Amelia and Ariara arrived on 18 February 2022.
“It would have been nice if God could have blessed us with a mixed gender but at least the girls will stay best friends for life and will spend their lives together,” Kavitha says.
Proud parents Andy and
Kavitha Sutharsanan
Last reviewed April 22, 2022.