IVF and endometriosis-related symptom progression: insights from a prospective study

Laura Benaglia, Edgardo Somigliana, Giulia Santi, G. Santi, C. Scarduelli, Claudia Scarduelli, G. Ragni, Guido Ragni, Luigi Fedele
Human Reproduction · 2011 · vol. 26(9) , pp. 2368–2372 · doi:10.1093/humrep/der208 · PMID:21715451 · W2117371453
article OA: bronze CC0 ⤵ 82 in-corpus citations
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This prospective study found that in women undergoing IVF, endometriosis-related symptoms and endometriomas did not significantly worsen after the procedure, indicating IVF does not pose a consistent risk of disease progression.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: A possible and neglected concern in women with endometriosis undergoing IVF is the potential risk of progression of the disease. We set up a prospective study mainly aimed at evaluating the impact of IVF on endometriosis-related symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Women with surgical or echographic diagnosis of endometriosis and selected for IVF were included. In the month preceding the IVF attempt and at a second evaluation 3-6 months after the cycle, women who did not get pregnant underwent clinical assessment and transvaginal ultrasonography. Each patient was requested to complete a questionnaire on the presence, severity and modifications of endometriosis-related symptoms before and after the IVF cycle. RESULTS: Overall, 64 patients completed the study protocol. The Biberoglu-Behrman Scores and the Verbal Rate Scales for dysmenorrhea, dispareunia and chronic pelvic pain did not worsen after the procedure. Other endometriosis-related symptoms also did not change. There was no modification in size and number of endometriomas and deep peritoneal nodules. The number (%) of women reporting general improvement and worsening were 14 (22%) and 7 (11%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: IVF does not expose women to a consistent risk of endometriosis-related symptoms progression.

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Outcome instruments

Biberoglu-Behrman

Condition tags

dysmenorrheaendometriosischronic_pelvic_pain

MeSH descriptors

Disease Progression Endometriosis Fertilization in Vitro Infertility, Female Adult Dysmenorrhea Dysmenorrhea Endometriosis Female Fertilization in Vitro Follow-Up Studies Humans Infertility, Female Pelvic Pain Pelvic Pain Pregnancy Prospective Studies Risk Assessment Treatment Outcome Ultrasonography

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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 (19)

Cited by (50)

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