Loose Women star Saira Khan opens up about agonising battle with endometriosis
LOOSE Women star Saira Khan has opened up about her agonising battle with endometriosis.
The mum-of-two was diagnosed with the chronic condition in 2009 after four years of trying to have a baby.
She was told her chances of conceiving naturally were less than five per cent because of the scarring on her fallopian tubes.
Saira and her husband Steve decided to have IVF and fortunately fell pregnant with her son Zak the first tine.
But the second time round the treatment failed and she decided to adopt her daughter Amara from an orphanage in Pakistan.
Saira opened up about her experience with the condition on Instagram this week, as part of endometriosis awareness month, with a picture of her gorgeous family.
She wrote: “At the age of 38 and after 4 years of trying to have a baby I was told I had stage 3 endometriosis.
“The scarring of my fallopian tubes were so bad that my chances of conceiving were less than 5%.
“But where there is a will, there is a way. I was lucky to conceive after my first attempt at IVF which bore me my gorgeous son.
“A few years later we tried IVF again – it failed so I decided to adopt from an orphanage in Pakistan.
The earlier you can diagnose it, the more help you’ve got and the more chances are of clearing it up before you want to start having children if you want to later on
Saira Khan
“We adopted a 4 day old baby girl and named her Amara.
“This photo brings me so much joy. It was the moment I had realised my dream to have my own family and become a mother and parent.
“It’s endometriosisawareness month and I wanted to share this photo to support all the ladies out there who have endometriosis and want to become a mum.
“Please don’t give up. Infertility does not automatically mean no children – adoption is a beautiful way to start and complete your family.
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis (pronounced en- doh – mee – tree – oh – sis) is the name given to the condition where cells like the ones in the lining of the womb (uterus) are found elsewhere in the body.
Each month these cells react in the same way to those in the womb, building up and then breaking down and bleeding. Unlike the cells in the womb that leave the body as a period, this blood has no way to escape.
It is a chronic and debilitating condition that causes painful or heavy periods. It may also lead to infertility, fatigue and bowel and bladder problems. Around 1.5 million women in the UK are currently living with the condition. Endometriosis can affect all women and girls of a childbearing age, regardless of race or ethnicity.
Endometriosis can have a significant impact on a woman’s life in a number of ways, including:
- Chronic pain
- Fatigue/lack of energy
- Depression/isolation
- Problems with a couple’s sex life/relationships
- An inability to conceive
- Difficulty in fulfilling work and social commitments
However, with the right endometriosis treatment, many of these issues can be addressed, and the symptoms of endometriosis made more manageable.
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“Endometriosis is more common than most people think, but the awareness to recognise and treat it is still poor.”
Speaking about the post on ITV’s Loose Women yesterday, she said: “People don’t realise it’s a really common problem for a lot of women out there.
“Looking back now, I’ve had it since I was a very young woman, so when my periods first started.
“I remember getting really bad stomach aches and a very heavy menstrual flow.
“At that age you say to your friends, ‘Oh do you get stomach aches? Do you have a heavy period?’ And they say ‘Yes’ and I think ‘Oh, it’s normal’. I normalised it for most of my life.”
She explained: “We tried for a baby for four years and I’m thinking I’m fit, I’ve never done drugs, I don’t drink – I’m thinking ‘what’s wrong?’
“It was only when I had a Laparoscopy, when they go through your belly button, that they found that I had stage three intense scarring of my fallopian tube, which meant the sperm and the egg could never meet.”
She also passed on her advice to others who may be concerned to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Saira told viewers: “I do urge mothers who have got daughters and their daughters are saying, ‘I’ve got really bad period pain mum’ – please take them to the doctors as soon as possible, just to check.
“The earlier you can diagnose it, the more help you’ve got and the more chances are of clearing it up before you want to start having children if you want to later on.”
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