Navigating Endometriosis and Infertility: April Christina’s IVF and Egg Freezing Story

This is not intended to provide medical advice. The interview has been edited for clarity and length. Please consult your doctor for any health-related concerns.

Diagnosed with stage four endometriosis after nearly 20 years of unexplained pain and symptoms, April’s journey reveals the challenges of receiving a diagnosis, managing the condition, and confronting the realities of infertility. 

Her decision to undergo egg freezing was not just a medical choice, but a deeply personal one made in the face of an uncertain reproductive future. Through IVF cycles, dietary changes, and relentless determination, April shares her story of resilience, highlighting the sometimes-overlooked emotional and physical toll of endometriosis.

Early Signs of Endometriosis

April Christina’s endometriosis journey began when she was just nine years old. She recalls the moment her menstrual cycle started during elementary school.

"I didn’t know what was happening."

"I started my menstrual cycle when I was nine years old. I was in the third grade, just trying to understand mathematics, English, and science," she explains. The experience was confusing because her menstrual flow appeared different from what she expected. "It was brown. I didn’t know what was happening," she says.

During her teenage years, April experienced severe symptoms beyond typical menstrual cramps. "I had headaches and really bad leg pain that made it very hard for me to walk," she explains. Despite the pain, it took many years before she received a proper diagnosis.

Delayed Diagnosis and Misunderstanding

April’s parents were proactive about her health and took her to see several doctors. She eventually saw a pediatric OBGYN and was prescribed oral contraceptives at the age of 13 or 14 to help regulate her heavy menstrual bleeding. However, the true cause of her symptoms—endometriosis—remained undiagnosed for many years.

"I went through that for a very long time. My parents were very active in my health," she explains.

It wasn’t until her mid-20s that April finally received a diagnosis. While working as a certified nursing assistant, she encountered an OB-GYN patient who, after hearing her symptoms, suggested she might have endometriosis. "She immediately says, ‘You have endometriosis,’" April recalls, although she had never heard of the condition before.

Following this conversation, April underwent an exploratory laparoscopy, which led to her official diagnosis of stage four endometriosis in her late 20s. By this point, nearly 20 years had passed since her symptoms first began, much longer than the average seven to 11 years it typically takes to diagnose endometriosis. "I went way past the margin of what they consider to be a normal diagnosis," April says.

Living with Endometriosis: Pain, Surgeries, and Symptoms

After receiving her diagnosis, April underwent multiple surgeries to treat her endometriosis. Her first surgery involved an ablation, which burns away visible endometrial tissue. However, this procedure did not provide long-term relief. Just ten months later, April experienced breakthrough bleeding, which indicated that the endometriosis had returned. "I had breakthrough bleeding... My endometriosis came back," she says.

"The endometrial tissue had completely glued down both of my ovaries."

This led April to seek out an endometriosis specialist, and she underwent a seven-hour excision surgery. During this surgery, doctors found that the endometrial tissue had spread to her bowels and completely adhered her ovaries together, forming what appeared to be a single ovary.

"The endometrial tissue had completely glued down both of my ovaries," she explains. Additionally, April had chocolate cysts and fibroids, both common in patients with endometriosis.

Her specialist also discovered that the endometrial tissue had adhered to nerves connected to her legs, explaining the severe leg pain she had experienced for years. While the surgery provided some relief, April continues to deal with chronic pain in her legs, a lasting effect of the extensive endometriosis.

Managing Endometriosis with Dietary and Lifestyle Changes

In addition to medical treatments, April made lifestyle changes to help manage her endometriosis. Over time, she discovered that certain foods, particularly red meat and soy, triggered her symptoms.

"I found out what triggered my endometriosis... Specifically, red meat and soy really affect my body extremely badly," she explains. As a result, April has eliminated red meat from her diet for over 11 years, which has greatly improved her quality of life.

April emphasizes the importance of understanding how individual factors can impact endometriosis symptoms. "Sometimes I have flares, but it’s not as bad if I avoid things that I know are not good for my body," she explains.

Endometriosis and Infertility: The Decision to Freeze Eggs

April’s endometriosis took a significant toll on her fertility. As she learned more about the condition, she became aware that infertility is a common complication of endometriosis. "I knew that one of the symptoms or cause and effect, per se, was infertility," she says.

At the age of 30, April decided to take proactive steps to understand her fertility. "For my 30th birthday, my gift to myself was to go to a fertility specialist," she says. Initially, her fertility tests came back with promising results, but a few years later, her fertility declined significantly. "My numbers just plummeted as if I was a 40-something-year-old woman," April says.

With this decline in her ovarian reserve, April was diagnosed with infertility. She faced the difficult decision of how to move forward. After discussing her options, she pursued in vitro fertilization (IVF). "I did not want to do IUI... I went straight into IVF," she explains, wanting to approach her infertility as aggressively as possible given her stage four endometriosis.

IVF: A Challenging Journey

April’s first IVF cycle was not successful. After 11 days of taking medication to prime her body, she underwent egg retrieval. However, none of the seven eggs retrieved were viable. "None of your eggs made it. None of them are viable. They all degenerated," April was told by her doctor.

The failure of her first IVF cycle was difficult, but April consulted with a reproductive immunologist who determined that the medication dosage during her cycle had been too high. "I found out that the dosage was just too high for my body," she says. With this new understanding, April adjusted her treatment plan for future attempts.

Additionally, April found guidance through Fertility Out Loud, an online fertility resource and support network.

Egg Freezing: Planning for the Future

After taking time to recover from the emotional and physical toll of her first IVF cycle, April began exploring the possibility of egg freezing as a way to preserve her fertility. She is now working with a new fertility specialist, who has introduced her to different approaches, such as low-dose IVF, to minimize the risks posed by endometriosis and fibroids.

"All you need is one... You just need one good one."

"I’m definitely going to be documenting this egg-freezing process," April says, sharing her hope to inspire others who may be considering fertility preservation. "Doing egg freezing as a single person is different. Doing it as a Christian single person is definitely way more different," she adds, acknowledging the unique challenges she faces.

April remains optimistic about her future motherhood. "All you need is one... You just need one good one," she says, referring to the possibility of freezing a viable egg.

Committed to Sharing Her Story

April Christina’s experience with endometriosis and her decision to pursue egg freezing highlight the complex relationship between chronic illness and fertility. Diagnosed with stage four endometriosis after nearly 20 years of symptoms, April has faced challenges related to pain, surgeries, and infertility. Despite these difficulties, she continues to advocate for women’s health, raising awareness about early diagnosis, fertility preservation, and personalized treatment options for managing endometriosis.

April’s story provides hope and guidance for others navigating similar experiences. While the journey may be challenging, there are paths available for preserving fertility and managing endometriosis. April remains committed to sharing her story, offering support to those dealing with endometriosis and infertility.