R E Batt1, G M Buck, R A Smith. 1. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, 1542 Maple Road, Suite 6, Williamsville, NY 14221, USA.
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess health and fertility status among women after surgical treatment of endometriosis. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Community-based gynecologic specialty practice. PATIENTS: Two hundred ninety women with newly diagnosed endometriosis. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Medical records of all women were abstracted at baseline; self-administered questionnaires were used to collect follow-up data. Most women (68-79%) reported some or great improvement in symptomology after surgical treatment. One hundred twenty-four (53%) of 232 women reported one or more pregnancies, two-thirds of which resulted in live births. Secondary sex ratios were below 1 (range 0.92-0.50), reflecting a female excess. Logistic regression analysis identified previous live birth as the only significant predictor of pregnancy after surgery; advancing maternal age significantly decreased the likelihood of a live birth. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these women reported improvement in symptoms at follow-up. Operative and clinical findings were not significant predictors of pregnancy likelihood. Prior live birth conferred more than a twofold increase in pregnancy likelihood, whereas advancing age decreased the likelihood. Reasons for reversed sex ratios are unknown but warrant further study.
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess health and fertility status among women after surgical treatment of endometriosis. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Community-based gynecologic specialty practice. PATIENTS: Two hundred ninety women with newly diagnosed endometriosis. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Medical records of all women were abstracted at baseline; self-administered questionnaires were used to collect follow-up data. Most women (68-79%) reported some or great improvement in symptomology after surgical treatment. One hundred twenty-four (53%) of 232 women reported one or more pregnancies, two-thirds of which resulted in live births. Secondary sex ratios were below 1 (range 0.92-0.50), reflecting a female excess. Logistic regression analysis identified previous live birth as the only significant predictor of pregnancy after surgery; advancing maternal age significantly decreased the likelihood of a live birth. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these women reported improvement in symptoms at follow-up. Operative and clinical findings were not significant predictors of pregnancy likelihood. Prior live birth conferred more than a twofold increase in pregnancy likelihood, whereas advancing age decreased the likelihood. Reasons for reversed sex ratios are unknown but warrant further study.