CHARACTERISTICS RELATED TO THE PREVALENCE OF MINIMAL OR MILD ENDOMETRIOSIS IN INFERTILE WOMEN

The objective of this case-control study is to identify factors associ ated with the prevalence of minimal or mild endometriosis among infert ile women. Cases (N = 329) were women diagnosed by laparoscopy with mi nimal or mild endometriosis and without any other factors explaining t heir infertility. Controls (N = 262) were women in whom the infertilit y remained unexplained after a diagnostic laparoscopy. Selected charac teristics were documented by means of a face-to-face interview before the laparoscopy. The prevalence of minimal or mild endometriosis was h igher in women age 25 years or older, in those who reported menarche a t the age of 13 years [prevalence odds ratio (POR) 1.63; 95% confidenc e interval (CI) = 1.02-2.60] or older (POR = 1.73; 950/0 CI = 1.07-2.7 8), menstrual cycles of 27 days or less (POR = 1.63; 95% CI = 1.02-2.6 0), or caffeine intake of 300 mg per day or more (POR = 1.33; 95% CI = 0.91-1.94). The prevalence of minimal or mild endometriosis was inver sely related to body mass index. Parous women were less likely to have endometriosis (POR = 0.61; 95% CI = 0.39-0.96) than were nulliparous women. Education, duration of infertility, and smoking status were not related to the presence of endometriosis.