Endometriosis symptom check · symptom guide
Trouble getting pregnant with pelvic pain
Not conceiving after a year of regular trying is the usual definition of infertility, and on its own it leads to a fertility work-up. The guideline's point is narrower: infertility together with painful periods, pelvic pain, pain with sex or cyclical bowel and bladder symptoms is a pattern that should make a clinician consider endometriosis specifically, rather than treating the two problems separately.
Not a diagnosis. This page explains one symptom group that published guidance says should prompt a clinician to consider endometriosis. No symptom, score or checklist can tell you whether you have it; only a clinician can assess you. If pain is severe or sudden, seek medical help.
What the guidelines say
NICE NG73 lists infertility in association with one or more of the other symptoms (chronic pelvic pain, period pain affecting daily life, deep pain with sex, cyclical bowel or bladder symptoms) as a reason to suspect endometriosis. ACOG and the Office on Women's Health both list infertility among the possible consequences of endometriosis. The self-check follows the guideline exactly: it counts this group only when at least one of the pain or cyclical groups is also present.
How to describe it at an appointment
- How long you have been trying, and whether you have had a fertility assessment.
- The pain symptoms, in the same conversation, not a separate appointment.
- Family history of endometriosis, if any.
What to track before you go
Your pain and bleeding record matters here as much as in any other appointment, because it is what links the two problems in the clinician's notes. Bring it.
Check your whole pattern
This symptom is one of 14 questions in the free endometriosis symptom self-check. It scores your answers against the six NICE symptom groups and ends in a one-page prep sheet you can print for your doctor. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.
Frequently asked questions
Does trouble conceiving mean I have endometriosis?
No. Infertility has many causes. The guideline links it to endometriosis when it occurs together with pain or cyclical bowel or bladder symptoms, and that combination is a reason for a work-up, not a diagnosis.
Why does the self-check ignore my "yes" to this question when nothing else is ticked?
Because the guideline wording is "in association with one or more" of the other symptoms. On its own, difficulty conceiving should be assessed as infertility; the endometriosis pattern needs at least one of the pain or cyclical groups as well.
Sources
- NICE guideline NG73, Endometriosis: diagnosis and management, section 1.3 (when to suspect endometriosis). nice.org.uk/guidance/ng73
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Endometriosis patient FAQ. acog.org
- NIH Office on Women's Health, Endometriosis. womenshealth.gov
Wrenly paraphrases these in its own words. It does not reproduce any licensed questionnaire and is not a medical device.
Keep the record in Wrenly
Log pain, bleeding, energy and mood in a tap, paint where it hurts on a body map, and bring a dated symptom PDF to your appointment. Free, private, no account; Wrenly+ adds the doctor PDF and patterns. Not a medical device.