Diagnosing Endometriosis with a simple Blood Test
Endometriosis has been in the shadows of women’s health for far too long. Women are told that painful periods are normal, to take pain medication and push through. Some are sent from specialist to specialist for years before anyone asks…
Could this be endometriosis?
For women trying to conceive, endometriosis can affect the pelvic environment, the immune response, inflammation, and embryo transfer outcomes. Yet it has often been difficult to confirm without invasive testing.
HerResolve from HerAnova is a blood test that looks for evidence of endometriosis. For patients who have lived with pain, unexplained infertility, or failed IVF transfers this test can provide early detection and treatment options.
Pain Is a Signal
Painful periods may be common, but that does not mean they are normal. Pain is a signal that the body is asking for attention.
Women may miss school, work, or otherwise construct their lives around monthly pain. The problem with normalizing pain is that it delays care. A woman may not ask for help until she is trying to conceive years later. By then, what once was “just period pain” may now be part of a fertility problem.
Why Endometriosis Is Often Missed
Endometriosis can be difficult to identify because symptoms are not always obvious. Some women have severe pain while ohers have symptoms that look like digestive issues. Some have pain with intercourse or pelvic discomfort. Some have no clear symptoms at all.
That creates a challenge in the IVF setting. A patient may have a beautiful embryo and a carefully planned transfer. But if endometriosis is present, the uterine and pelvic environment may be hostile to implantation.
For many years, invasive laparoscopy surgery has been the method to diagnose and treat endometriosis, and any patients and providers hesitate to pursue it unless symptoms are severe.
When symptoms are subtle, the endometriosis may remain unresolved, causing the patient to move forward without clear data and the provider to move forward without a change in plan.
Endometriosis and Unexplained Infertility
Endometriosis may be the cause of up to 40% of unexplained infertility cases. Unexplained infertility can leave patients feeling hopeless and frightened. When testing looks normal, cycles look normal, and embryos look promising, the lack of an answer can feel especially painful. A failed transfer of a euploid embryo can be devastating.
Endometriosis gives the care team another possibility to consider. While it does not explain every case., it should be investigated.
The Beauty of a Blood Test for Endo
HerResolve is a single vial test that helps identify evidence of endometriosis. Dr. Fox has already seen patients with failed IVF transfers receive positive HerResolve results despite having no obvious symptom picture.
That kind of result can support a more informed decision about whether treatment is needed before another embryo transfer.
The value is not only in getting a positive result. A negative result also matters. It can help the care team look in a different direction.
“It Is Not You. It is Endo.”
Many women carry shame around their symptoms. They wonder if they are exaggerating or if the pain is somehow their fault.
A diagnosis of endometriosis can shift the conversation from symptoms to diagnosis. Once identified, a treatment plan can be made.
A Systemic Disease Needs Better Recognition
Endometriosis is often described as a pelvic condition. Yet it behaves more like a systemic disease, because inflammatory signals affect the body beyond the pelvis.
Retrograde menstruation has erroneously been stated as the cause of endometriosis. Yet while many women experience retrograde menstruation, not all develop endometriosis.
The disease is complex and involves genetics, environment, inflammation, and immune response to name a few. Better testing may help researchers and clinicians understand those mechanisms more clearly. As patients are diagnosed earlier, research and science can also improve.
What Patients Can Ask Their Providers
If painful periods, pelvic pain, unexplained infertility, or failed IVF transfers are part of your story, it may be worth asking your provider about endometriosis testing.
You can ask whether endometriosis could be affecting your fertility plan. You can ask whether additional testing makes sense before another transfer. You can ask whether a blood test such as HerResolve is available through your clinic or a provider near you. HerAnova also offers at-home blood draws in some areas.
Ask Better Questions Before the Next Step
Endometriosis can be painful, confusing, and can deeply disrupt quality of life. A more accessible diagnostic tool such as HerResolve gives women and providers a chance to better assess and treat before the next transfer, the next cycle,
At Health Youniversity, we believe women deserve healthcare that listens sooner. Pain should not be dismissed as normal. Failed transfers should not be met with a shrug and a recommendation to try again. And women should not have to wait years for someone to take their symptoms seriously.
If this conversation sounds familiar, reach out to Dr. Susan and HerAnova. Ask about HerResolve endometriosis testing to better prepare for next steps.
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Dr. Bischoff brings over 25 years of expertise in developing non-invasive clinical assays for various women’s health conditions such as endometriosis, IVF/ART, prenatal testing, and oncology. She has managed several research projects, published over 300 articles, and mentored executives and medical students alike. Dr. Bischoff has been recognized with numerous awards for her research.
Dr. Bischoff has a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology and has received postdoctoral training from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine
Penny Wan is a global biopharmaceutical executive, board director, and women’s health innovator with more than two decades of experience advancing therapies that improve and extend lives. As Co-Founder and Chairwoman of HerAnova Lifesciences, she is focused on closing critical gaps in women’s health, particularly in endometriosis and fertility, translating cutting-edge science into patient-centered solutions.
Under her leadership, HerAnova is redefining how women’s health conditions are diagnosed and treated.
HerAnova: https://heranova.com/
Medical Disclaimer:
By listening to the Health Youniversity podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition for yourself or others. Consult your healthcare provider for any medical issues you may have. This entire disclaimer also pertains to any guests or contributors to any Health Youniversity podcast.
