Women who are not exposed to spermatozoa and infertile women have similar rates of stage I endometriosis

Roberto Matorras, R Matorras, Matorras R, F Rodríguez, Rodríguez F, Fernando Rodrı́guez, Jose-Ignacı́o Pijoan, J I Pijoan, Pijoan JI, A Etxanojauregui, Abel Etxanojauregui, Etxanojauregui A, J L Neyro, José Luís Neyro, Miguel-Angel Elorriaga, M A Elorriaga, Elorriaga MA, Rodríguez-Escudero FJ, Francisco J Rodrı́guez-Escudero, F J Rodríguez-Escudero
Fertility and Sterility · 2001 · vol. 76(5) , pp. 923–928 · doi:10.1016/s0015-0282(01)02833-3 · PMID:11704112 · W1978247667
article OA: bronze CC0 ⤵ 35 in-corpus citations
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This study found that women not exposed to spermatozoa and infertile women exhibit comparable rates of stage I endometriosis.

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Abstract

ObjectiveTo compare the prevalence of endometriosis and its different stages in infertile women and women not exposed to spermatozoa.DesignProspective study.SettingArtificial insemination donor program at a university hospital.Patient(s)One hundred fifty women unable to conceive because they had not been exposed to spermatozoa (134 with azoospermic partner, 10 with an HIV-positive partner, and 6 without a male partner). Controls were 750 women in infertile couples in which the male partner had normal sperm.Intervention(s)Laparoscopy was systematically performed in a blinded manner in both groups as part of the infertility work-up.Main outcome measure(s)Diagnosis of endometriosis.Result(s)In unexposed women and controls, the prevalence of endometriosis was similar (32% and 34.5%). Rates of stage I disease were also similar in both groups (26% and 19.3%). There was a significant trend toward higher stages of endometriosis in infertile women (stage II disease, 3.3% vs. 5.7%; stage III disease, 1.3% vs. 3.1%; stage IV disease, 1.3% vs. 6.4%). Endometriosis was not associated with the few demographic characteristics that differed between groups.Conclusion(s)From an epidemiologic point of view, stage I endometriosis is not more common in infertile women than in unselected women. However, stage II to IV endometriosis was more frequent in infertile women. Whereas a relation between stage I endometriosis and infertility seems unlikely, the relation between stages II to IV endometriosis and infertility seems possible.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Endometriosis Infertility, Female Sexual Abstinence Adult Endometriosis Female Humans Infertility, Female Male Prevalence Prospective Studies Spain Spain

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