Painful cramping during menstruation may be a sign of potential infertility issues. One of the most common causes of painful menstrual cramping is a condition known as endometriosis. With endometriosis, the tissues that line the uterus (the endometrium) are found outside of the uterus in the pelvic cavity. During menses, these tissues are triggered by a woman's hormones to thicken and break down - just like the process that happens to the lining of the uterus. The presence of this dynamic tissue where it does not belong can cause scarring, adhesions and blockages that prevent the sperm from reaching the egg, or prevent a fertilized egg (embryo) from traveling to the uterus.
Sometimes, however, painful cramps are not related to endometriosis or other causes of infertility and are simply an unwelcome nuisance and irritant that returns on a monthly basis.
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