The Epidemiology of Infertility in Women with Endometriosis

In: Endometriosis-related Infertility · 2024 · pp. 1–8 · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-50662-8_1 · W4392309655
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Women with endometriosis have a 2-5 fold lower monthly conception probability, and endometriosis is diagnosed in about 25% of infertile women.

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This paper reviews epidemiologic evidence linking endometriosis to infertility, focusing on how often endometriosis reduces the monthly probability of conception and how frequently it is diagnosed among infertile women. It reports that conception probability is about 2–5 times lower in women with endometriosis than in normal couples, while endometriosis is diagnosed in roughly 25% of infertile women, though this estimate varies substantially across studies. It highlights the proposed role of pelvic anatomy distortion using the “endometriosis fertility index,” and notes that adenomyosis is also associated with infertility. The paper relates to endometriosis and adenomyosis by summarizing their epidemiologic contribution to infertility, including an explicit association with adenomyosis and the overall endometriosis–infertility relationship. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — [its epidemiology and overlap with infertility].

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Abstract

Infertility is commonly associated with endometriosis. Epidemiological studies suggest that the monthly probability of conception is about 2–5-fold lower in women with endometriosis than in normal couples. Considering infertile women, endometriosis has been diagnosed in about 25% of them, but marked differences are observed in this estimate among studies. It is a common thought that pelvic anatomy distortion can explain infertility in patients with severe forms of endometriosis. This mechanism is supported by the observation that infertility is associated with the value of the “Endometriosis fertility index” that takes into account, with the American Society Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) score, the functional status of the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and fimbriae and some clinical characteristics such as woman’s age, duration of infertility, and previous pregnancies. A further factors associated with infertility in women with endometriosis is the presence of adenomyosis. In conclusion, not all women with endometriosis had infertility: about 25% of women with clinically evident endometriosis will experience infertility during their life, and conversely about 25% of infertile women will be diagnosed with endometriosis. Access this chapter Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout Purchases are for personal use only Similar content being viewed by others

References

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Hum Reprod. 2015;30(6):1280–6. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dev078. Epub 2015 Apr 16. PMID: 25883035 Author information Authors and Affiliations Corresponding author Editor information Editors and Affiliations Rights and permissions Copyright information © 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG About this chapter Cite this chapter Berlanda, N., Chiaffarino, F., Roncella, E., Esposito, G., Parazzini, F. (2024). The Epidemiology of Infertility in Women with Endometriosis. In: Ferrero, S. (eds) Endometriosis-related Infertility. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50662-8_1 Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50662-8_1 Published: Publisher Name: Springer, Cham Print ISBN: 978-3-031-50661-1 Online ISBN: 978-3-031-50662-8 eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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