Experiences of male partners of women with endometriosis-associated pelvic pain: a qualitative study

Deborah Margatho, María Yolanda Makuch, Luís Bahamondes
The European journal of contraception & reproductive health care : the official journal of the European Society of Contraception · 2022 · vol. 27(6) , pp. 454–460 · doi:10.1080/13625187.2022.2097658 · PMID:35867527 · W4286560288
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Male partners of women with endometriosis-associated pain reported a lack of prior information and significant impacts on their personal lives, relationships, and intimacy due to their partners' condition.

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to assess the experiences of male partners of women with endometriosis-associated pain after medical treatment in their everyday lives. METHODS: We conducted a phenomenological study based on semi-structured interviews with 11 male partners of women with endometriosis-associated pelvic pain at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Campinas Medical School, Brazil. A thematic analysis of manifest content was performed, a coding frame was drafted, and the main analysis categories were elaborated. RESULTS: The interviewed men had been in stable relationships for a median length of 14 years. They reported that they did not have information about endometriosis before their partners' diagnosis and that the endometriosis-associated pelvic pain suffered by their partners affected their personal everyday life, marital relationship, sexual relationship, and intimacy. CONCLUSION: Male partners of women with endometriosis-associated pain reported that the disease has both a profound impact on their lives and on their relationship. Our study contributed to an increased understanding of the life experience of men living with women with endometriosis-associated pelvic pain and may contribute to encourage healthcare professionals to incorporate strategies for guidance of the couple during treatment.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715mesh:D017699endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Female Female Female Humans Humans Humans Humans Male Male Male Male Pelvic Pain Pelvic Pain Pelvic Pain

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 (35)

Cited by (4)

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