Potential influence of in utero and early neonatal exposures on the later development of endometriosis

Silvia Vannuccini, Lucia Lazzeri, Cinzia Orlandini, Orlandini C, Claudia Tosti, Vicki L Clifton, Felice Petraglia
Fertility and sterility · 2016 · vol. 105(4) , pp. 997–1002 · doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.12.127 · PMID:26772788 · W2225872387
article OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 39 in-corpus citations
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-14 ⓘ

This study investigated how exposures during pregnancy and early infancy might affect the later development of endometriosis.

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Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the possible correlation between maternal characteristics, in utero and early neonatal life exposures, and the development of endometriosis in adult life.DesignCase-control study.SettingUniversity hospital.Patient(s)A group of 161 patients with endometriosis and a control group of 230 women undergoing laparoscopy for benign adnexal diseases and free of endometriosis.Intervention(s)All women included in the study were requested to answer a series of questions about their mothers' gestational data and on their own perinatal and early postnatal lives.Main outcome measure(s)Odds ratio, adjusted odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals for the associations between maternal characteristics during the patient's pregnancy, in utero exposure to obstetrical and perinatal complications, and the type of feeding received during the neonatal period with the development of endometriosis in adult life.Result(s)Mothers of women with endometriosis were significantly more likely to be affected by endometriosis or uterine fibroids, with a higher incidence of smoking during pregnancy. Women with endometriosis were more frequently born prematurely, with a significantly lower birth weight, and their mothers experienced preeclampsia during their pregnancies more often than control subjects. They were also more frequently formula fed than breast fed in early life. However, only prematurity and formula feeding were retained in the multivariate analysis model.Conclusion(s)Among intrauterine and early neonatal exposures, prematurity and formula feeding were risk factors for the development of endometriosis in adult life. Further studies should evaluate the underlying biologic mechanisms.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Endometriosis Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects Adult Case-Control Studies Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Infant, Newborn Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena Infant, Premature Infant, Premature Middle Aged Pre-Eclampsia Pre-Eclampsia Pre-Eclampsia Pre-Eclampsia

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