Early menstrual characteristics associated with subsequent diagnosis of endometriosis

Susan A Treloar, Treloar SA, Tanya A Bell, Bell TA, Tanya Bell, Nagle CM, Christina M Nagle, Purdie DM, David M Purdie, Adèle C Green, Green AC
American journal of obstetrics and gynecology · 2009 · vol. 202(6) , pp. 534.e1–534.e6 · doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2009.10.857 · PMID:20022587 · W2006504717
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This study investigated early menstrual characteristics and their association with the later diagnosis of endometriosis.

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Abstract

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the association between early menstrual characteristics, before symptom onset, and later diagnosis of endometriosis.Study designThis was a case-control study of 268 Australian women with surgically confirmed moderate-to-severe endometriosis (cases) and 244 women without endometriosis (controls). Early menstrual cycle characteristics, before age at symptom onset, were analyzed.ResultsMenarche after age 14 years was strongly and inversely associated with endometriosis (odds ratio, 0.3; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-0.6). A history of dysmenorrhea was associated with subsequent endometriosis (odds ratio, 2.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-6.2). Despite a suggestive trend, shorter menstrual cycle length was not associated with endometriosis. Duration of natural menstruation and heaviness of flow were not associated with subsequent risk of endometriosis; neither was the reported type of sanitary protection used nor history of sexual intercourse during menstruation.ConclusionThere is a decreased risk of endometriosis with late age at menarche and an increased risk in women who report an early history of dysmenorrhea.

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Condition tags

dysmenorrheaendometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Dysmenorrhea Endometriosis Endometriosis Adolescent Adult Age Factors Age of Onset Australia Case-Control Studies Child Dysmenorrhea Dysmenorrhea Endometriosis Female Health Surveys Humans Menarche Menarche Menstrual Cycle Menstrual Cycle

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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.

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