CO2 laser laparoscopy for endometriosis associated with infertility.

Medical, surgical and combined therapy have been used in the treatment of infertility associated with endometriosis. The CO2 laser offers the advantage of precise excisional surgery at the initial laparoscopy and potentially avoids further surgery and medication. In 115 women in whom initial or follow-up laparoscopy revealed the presence of endometriosis, the CO2 laser was used to excise or ablate the endometriotic lesions. Fifty-five (48%) of the patients became pregnant, with 12-44 months of follow-up. These 55 patients have had 61 pregnancies. Forty-two (69%) were term, 7 (11%) are ongoing, 11 (28%) aborted, and 1 (2%) was ectopic. Twenty-three (68%) of 34 patients with endometriosis as the only infertility factor had 28 pregnancies. Thirty-two (40%) of the 81 patients with endometriosis associated with other infertility factors produced 33 pregnancies.