Menstrual characteristics associated with endometriosis

K Arumugam, Kulenthran Arumugam, Jason M. H. Lim, J M Lim
British journal of obstetrics and gynaecology · 1997 · vol. 104(8) , pp. 948–950 · doi:10.1111/j.1471-0528.1997.tb14357.x · PMID:9255089 · W2079607212
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-10 ⓘ

This case-control study found that menstrual cycle lengths of less than 28 days were significantly associated with endometriosis, but not age at menarche or duration of flow.

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Abstract

This case-controlled study investigates whether the presence of menstrual characteristics, which may increase the exposure of the peritoneal cavity to retrograde menstruation, increases the risk of developing endometriosis. The menstrual characteristics considered were 1. age at menarche of less than 12 years, 2. duration of menstrual flow greater than five days and 3. menstrual cycle lengths of < 28 days. The frequency with which these menstrual characteristics occurred in 305 women with proven endometriosis was compared with their frequency in 305 age-matched women without endometriosis. Adjusting for the confounding factors of parity, age at first childbirth and social class, the only menstrual characteristic that was significantly associated with endometriosis was menstrual cycle lengths of less than 28 days (odds ratio 1.83; 95% confidence intervals 1.60-2.55). There was insufficient evidence to conclude that the presence of menstrual characteristics which may increase the exposure of the peritoneal cavity to retrograde menstruation, increase a women's risk of developing endometriosis. The association of short menstrual cycle lengths with endometriosis may have been consequential rather than causal.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Menstrual Cycle Adult Case-Control Studies Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Maternal Age Menarche Menarche Menstrual Cycle Menstruation Menstruation Risk Factors

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 (15)

Cited by (50)

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