You’ve been trying and trying, but still no luck. Obstetricians and gynecologists say endometriosis could be the problem.

“Endometriosis as it relates to pregnancy, quite often impacts pregnancy on the forefront. And that is, endometriosis is implicated in women with infertility,” says gynecologist Dr. Tim Hughes with the Lee Memorial Health System.

Endometrosis is caused by tissue which forms on the outside of the uterus, disrupting the body’s menstrual cycle and the reproduction process. “This is due to the scarring that takes place in and around the fallopian tubes, the ovaries, and can actually lead to tubal eclusion or blockage which precludes pregnancy,” adds Dr. Hughes.

He recommends a laproscopy procedure to check the endometrial tissue. From there, a treatment is prescribed. And if the couple is still having trouble, “quite often, in women with severe endometriosis who are having trouble conceiving, those patients quite often are referred to fertility specialists for evaluation of the tubal blockage.”

Currently, there’s no known cure for endometriosis and certain treatments could prevent pregnancy. Recent studies have shown that pregnancy rates are lower for women with severe cases of endometriosis.