The long and winding road to menopause: a true milestone or an illusion for women with endometriosis?

Francesca Marrocco, F. Marrocco, Daniela Alberico, Paola Pifarotti, P. Pifarotti, Anna Nasini, Martina Anna Buffa, Sonia Cipriani, Giussy Barbàra, Giussy Barbara
Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 2025 · vol. 33(5) , pp. 576–582 · doi:10.1097/gme.0000000000002709 · PMID:41401228 · W4417407409
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This study found that postmenopausal women with a history of endometriosis reported lower physical and mental quality of life scores, but comparable climacteric symptoms, sexual functioning, and psychological distress compared to those without endometriosis.

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to determine whether women with and without a history of endometriosis experience menopause differently, in terms of their satisfaction with quality of life. METHODS: This study was conducted at Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Policlinico Hospital, Milan, from October 2022 to April 2024. The total sample included 394 postmenopausal women aged 48-55 years: 197 with a clinical history of endometriosis (group 1) and 197 without (group 2). All participants were required to complete a series of validated questionnaires assessing quality of life (Short-Form Health Survey 12, SF-12), sexual function (Female Sexual Function Index [FSFI]), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]), climacteric symptoms (Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire [MENQOL]), and satisfaction with their clinical condition using a 5-point Likert scale. RESULTS: The SF-12 scores were significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1 (physical score: P =0.01; mental score: P <0.001). Group 1 reported lower satisfaction levels than group 2; however, this difference was not statistically significant (OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.5-1.2, P =0.26). The FSFI, HADS, and MENQOL scores were not significantly different between the two groups (FSFI score, P = 0.20; HADS anxiety score, P =0.11; HADS depression score, P =0.48; MENQOL score, P = 0.91). CONCLUSION: Postmenopausal women with a history of endometriosis appear to have a similar quality of life compared with those without such a history. While the overall quality of life scores were higher in women without endometriosis, both groups reported comparable climacteric symptoms, sexual functioning, and anxiety and depression levels.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis

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 (22)

Source provenance

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