Endometriosis and infertility
Surgery is more effective for infertility than medicinal intervention in endometriosis. One study has shown that surgical treatment of endometriosis approximately doubles the fecundity (pregnancy rate). The use of medical suppression after surgery for minimal/mild endometriosis has not shown benefits for patients with infertility. Use of fertility medication that stimulates ovulation (clomiphene citrate, gonadotropins) combined with intrauterine insemination (IUI) enhances fertility in these patients.
Lipiodol
Recently there has been an increasing interest in the use of Lipiodol as a therapeutic agent in the management of unexplained infertility, using a procedure called Lipiodol flushing. There have been a small number of studies that suggest that flushing the media through the tubes gives a short-term rise in fecundity in patients with unexplained infertility. A systematic review has suggested a significant increase in fertility, especially in those women who have endometriosis when using Lipiodol flushing.