Dr Maree Lee performs reproductive surgeries to treat conditions from fibroids to cysts and scarring that can affect current and future fertility, and impact your daily comfort and wellbeing.
For many women, common conditions inside the reproductive system not only impact fertility and the possibility of successful conception and pregnancy, they can also cause pain or complications in everyday life.
Considering the entire patient experience and end-to-end care, Dr Maree addresses these conditions using minimally invasive techniques (such as laparoscopy) where possible, to minimise recovery time, reduce risk of infection, and deliver the best overall outcome.
Dr Maree will recommend this course of action only where it is likely to help, and will explain exactly what’s involved, so you can decide which avenue you would like to take.
Reproductive surgery insights
Whether medical operations help or harm fertility depends on how and when they are performed. Reproductive surgery is the discipline that plans them around fertility, treating a future successful pregnancy, not just a resolved symptom, as the goal.
The challenge is that the same procedure meant to protect a woman’s fertility can, if not approached carefully, end up reducing it. Technique has developed in response, treating the problem while preserving as much reproductive potential as possible.
Endometriosis is perhaps the best example of surgery that can both improve and harm fertility. A 2020 Cochrane review found laparoscopic treatment of mild endometriosis improved clinical pregnancy rates compared with diagnostic laparoscopy alone.
However, whether excision of more severe disease (DIE) improves fertility outcomes is unclear, and must be weighed against patient symptoms, goals and risks.
Ovarian cystectomy shows why technique matters when fertility is a priority. Removing a cyst can strip healthy ovarian tissue and lower reserve; a 2024 meta-analysis found AMH fell roughly three times more after cystectomy than after tissue-sparing ablation.
Submucosal fibroids are most consistently linked to failed implantation and miscarriage, and can be treated without damaging fertility. For fibroids outside the cavity, evidence for removal is limited, so each case is assessed individually.
Visit The Waiting Room to learn more.
40% of women with endometriosis have trouble conceiving.
AMH falls around three times more after cystectomy than after ablation.
Endometriosis affects 1 in 3 women with infertility.
Hydrosalpinges REDUCE IVF LIVE BIRTH RATES BY ROUGHLY 50%. SURGERY CAN HELP.
Removal of endometriomas haS not been shown to improve pregnancy rates.
SUBMUCOSAL FIBROIDS CAN REDUCE EMBRYO IMPLANTATION AND INCREASE MISCARRIAGE RATES.
During your first visit, Dr Maree will discuss your symptoms, your fertility goals, and any previous test results you bring with you, and talk about whether surgery is a suitable solution, with full transparency around any considerations or risks.
Sometimes additional tests and scans are needed to plan surgery properly so the doctor can understand, for example, the location and extent of endometriosis or other conditions. This supports preparation and helps ensure you also understand the scale of your treatment.
Dr Maree will explain exactly what the operation involves, the approach being used, and what recovery typically looks like, so there are no surprises on the day or afterwards.
Most reproductive surgery is performed using minimally invasive techniques (such as laparoscopy or hysteroscopy) as a day procedure or with a short hospital stay, depending on what’s involved. You will be welcomed into the theatre, informed again of what to expect, and then prepared by the doctor’s caring team.
Recovery and follow up are important, and in addition to checking in, Dr Maree remains available to you following your treatment.
Dr Maree is not just a skilled surgeon, she’s a specialist who considers every aspect of treatment for her patients. Make an appointment to find out more about these services.
Reproductive surgery comes with a lot of questions, and at Dr Maree’s practice, we are all about delivering the answers. Here are some of the most common queries we receive.
No referral is required to see Dr Maree for reproductive surgery. However, a referral may be recommended to receive a Medicare rebate towards your appointment or treatments.
For some women, removing endometriosis may improve the chance of conceiving naturally, though the effect depends on where the disease is and how extensive it is. Dr Maree plans each procedure with fertility in mind, treating the condition while protecting healthy ovarian tissue.
Recovery is generally quicker than open surgery and brings fewer potential complications, often within one to two weeks for most procedures, though this varies depending on what was involved.
It can, depending on the size and type of cyst and the surgical technique used. Protecting healthy ovarian tissue is a priority throughout, and Dr Maree will explain the specific considerations for your situation.
No. Many can be monitored rather than treated surgically, especially if they aren’t causing symptoms or affecting fertility. Surgery is only recommended where it’s likely to make a real difference.
Dr Maree will explain any findings clearly during your follow up, along with what they mean for your fertility and what, if anything, needs to happen next.
Our Waiting Room is the perfect place to take a few minutes and read through the latest research, emerging practices, and insights shared by Dr Maree. The more you know, the more effectively you can consider and discuss your options and make informed decisions that are right for you.
Male factor affects around half of couples trying to conceive, yet the man is often the last to be tested. Dr Maree Lee explains what a semen analysis really tells you and why both partners should be investigated from the start.
Age is information, not a verdict. Dr Maree Lee explains what fertility decline after 35 really means, why AMH doesn’t tell the whole story, and when to investigate.
An evidence-based guide to elective egg freezing by fertility specialist Dr Maree Lee: what it preserves, success rates by age, the process and the Australian rules.
Comprehensive, evidence-based treatments, tailored to your history and your goals.
Specialist investigation and treatment for the female factors that can affect conception.
Specialist support for complex or unexplained cases that need a more individualised approach.
If fibroids, cysts or scarring are part of your fertility experience, Dr Maree can talk you through whether surgery makes sense, and what it will actually involve for you.
