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A long-term follow-up study of women with asymptomatic endometriosis diagnosed incidentally at sterilization
Mette Haase Moen1, Trine Stokstad
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. mette.moen@medisin.ntnu.no
Objective:
To evaluate whether asymptomatic endometriosis diagnosed in connection with tubal sterilization is likely to cause symptoms later in the woman's life.
Design:
Controlled, clinical follow-up study of women who were examined for endometriosis in connection with tubal sterilization performed between 1986 and 1989.
Setting:
University hospital.
Patient(S):
Thirty-nine women with mostly minimal endometriosis discovered at sterilization and 157 control women with no endometriosis discovered at sterilization.
Intervention(S):
Interview in 2001 by a posted questionnaire.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Report on pain, pelvic operations, menopausal status, and use of hormone replacement therapy.
Result(S):
Pelvic pain was more frequently reported by controls than by women with endometriosis (28% vs. 6%). There was no significant difference between the groups concerning dysmenorrhea, premenstrual pain, or dyspareunia, nor was there any significant difference in the hysterectomy rate.
Conclusion(S):
There is little risk that asymptomatic, minimal endometriosis found incidentally will become symptomatic.
