Risk factors for pelvic endometriosis in women with pelvic pain or infertility

Objective: The objective of the study was to analyse the relationship betwe en selected characteristics and risk of pelvic endometriosis. Study design: Eligible for the study were 817 women with primary or secondary infertilit y or pelvic pain requiring laparoscopy. Of these, 393 were included for inf ertility and 424 for pelvic pain. Results: A total of 345 (42.2%) had a dia gnosis of endometriosis and 472 did not have the disease. Multiparous women had endomertriosos less frequently than nulliparous, the estimated odds ra tios (OR) were respectively 0.9 (95% confidence interval, CI, 0.5-1.6) and 0.4 (95% CI 0.2-0.7) in women reporting one and two or more births. In comp arison with women reporting no spontaneous abortion, the estimated OR was 0 .3 (95% CI 0.2-0.5) in those who reported greater than or equal to 1 miscar riage. In comparison with women reporting menstrual cycles lasting greater than or equal to 25 days subjects with totally irregular menstrual cycles h ad a reduced risk of endometriosis (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.3-0.9). No significant association emerged between smoking, age at menarche and risk of endometri osis. Conclusions: this study confirms, with a different methodological app roach to previously published studies, that multiparity, a history of abort ion and lifelong irregular menstrual pattern decrease the risk of endometri osis in women with pelvic pain and infertility. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science I reland Ltd. All rights reserved.