Higher Prevalence of Endometrial Polyps in Infertile Patients with Endometriosis

To study whether infertile patients with endometriosis have a higher prevalence of endometrial polyps, and to clarify the characteristics of the pathology of combined polyps.

Infertile patients who had undergone both hysteroscopy and laparoscopy in Reproductive Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University from January 2014 to May 2017 were enrolled. Patients with and without endometriosis, diagnosed by laparoscopy, were staged and included in the study group and control group, respectively, and the prevalence of polyps was compared. The pathological types of endometrial polyps were analyzed.

A total of 414 cases were enrolled in the study group and 3,048 cases in the control group; polyps were diagnosed, with endoscopy, in 1,107 patients. Endometrial polyps were detected by hysteroscopy in 47.83% of the endometriosis group and 29.82% of the control group. The prevalence of endometrial polyps was significantly higher in the endometriosis group than in the control group (p < 0.001) but not significantly different between stages of endometriosis (p = 0.580). The pathological diagnosis included 899 endometrial polyps and 208 polypoid hyperplasia; 66.5% of endometrial polyps were combined with simple hyperplasia.

The infertile patients with endometriosis had a higher prevalence of endometrial polyps, and those polyps are often combined with simple hyperplasia.