Role of Peritoneal Inflammation in Endometriosis‐associated Infertility

Halme J, J Halme, Jouko Halme
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · 1991 · vol. 622(1) , pp. 266–274 · doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1991.tb37870.x · PMID:2064186 · W2070053591
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-07 ⓘ

Endometriosis is associated with infertility, likely mediated by altered peritoneal inflammation and secretory products from macrophages, such as TNF-alpha, which impair sperm function.

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Abstract

This paper has discussed the evidence for the presence of infertility in patients with endometriosis and more critically reviewed some of the studies that have addressed the impact of various potential local peritoneal mechanisms that may lead to subfertility. Substantial evidence supports the notion that patients with endometriosis have reduced fecundability. Although several mechanisms, including, e.g., anatomic factors and ovulatory dysfunction, are possible, recent studies have pointed towards local inflammatory cells and their secretory products as being important mediators of subfertility. Ample evidence exists for the presence of an altered peritoneal inflammatory environment in patients with endometriosis. In addition, in vitro studies have identified peritoneal macrophages and their secretory products, specifically TNF-alpha as the most likely contributors to the reduced fecundability through effects on sperm function.

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Condition tags

endometriosisinfertility

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Infertility, Female Peritonitis Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Infertility, Female Infertility, Female Peritonitis Peritonitis

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (46)

Cited by (44)

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