Endometriosis: The real problem in numbers

Endometriosis: The real problem in numbers
  • Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, or around 176 million women worldwide1.
  • In women with infertility, the frequency of endometriosis can rise to 35-50%2.
  • Every year, the disease causes around 70 billion dollars to the healthcare systems3.
  • Endometriosis causes a significant loss in the number of working hours, around 11 hours per week per patient4.
  • On average, it takes 8 years from the first symptom to diagnosis5.
  • Medical management is successful in 2/3rds of patients with endometriosis6.
  • A number of women with endometriosis needs surgery. It is estimated that more than 100.000 hysterectomies are done in the United Stated per year due to endometriosis and around 12% of women with endometriosis will need a hysterectomy at some point in their lives7,8.
  • The post-operative rate of recurrence is estimated to be higher than 20%9,10.
  • Endometriosis, often, coexists with other diseases. Adenomyosis(the presence of endometrium inside the myometrium) coexists in 80 to 90% of women with endometriosis and infertility11.
  • It is recognised the significant negative impact of the disease on the psychological health of women with endometriosis12.

References:

  1. Rogers PA, D’Hooghe TM, Fazleabas A, et al. Priorities for endometriosis research: recommendations from an international consensus workshop. Reprod Sci 2009;16(4):335-46.
  2. Bulun, SE. Endometriosis. N Engl J Med 2009; 360: 268–279.
  3. Soliman AM, Surrey E, Bonafede M, Nelson JK, Castelli-Haley J. Real-World Evaluation of Direct and Indirect Economic Burden Among Endometriosis Patients in the United States. Adv Ther. 2018 Mar;35(3):408-423.
  4. Nnoaham KE, Hummelshoj L, Webster P, d’Hooghe T, de Cicco Nardone F, de Cicco Nardone C, Jenkinson C, Kennedy SH, Zondervan KT; World Endometriosis Research Foundation Global Study of Women’s Health consortium. Impact of endometriosis on quality of life and work productivity: a multicenter study across ten countries. Fertil Steril. 2011 Aug;96(2):366-373.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2011.05.090. Epub 2011 Jun 30.
  5. ‐Pinto CL. Time elapsed from onset of symptoms to diagnosis of endometriosis in a cohort study of Brazilian women. Hum Reprod 2003;18(4):756-759.
  6. Donnez J, Dolmans MM. GnRH Antagonists with or without Add-Back Therapy: A New Alternative in the Management of Endometriosis? Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Oct 20;22(21):11342.
  7. Lepine LA, Hillis SD, Marchbanks PA, et al. Hysterectomy surveillance – United States, 1980-1993. MMWR CDC Surveill Summ. 1997;46:1–15.
  8. Rizk B, Abdalla H. Fast Facts: Endometriosis. (2nd ed.) Oxford: Health Press; 2003.
  9. Guo S.W. Recurrence of endometriosis and its control. Hum. Reprod. Update. 2009; 15:441–461.
  10. Vercellini P., Crosignani1 P.G., Abbiati A., Somigliana E., Viganò P., Fedele L. The effect of surgery for symptomatic endometriosis: The other side of the story. Hum. Reprod. Update. 2009; 15:177–188.
  11. G. Kunz, D. Beil, P. Huppert, M. Noe, S. Kissler, G. Leyendecker, Adenomyosis in endometriosis—prevalence and impact on fertility. Evidence from magnetic resonance imaging, Human Reproduction, Volume 20, Issue 8, August 2005, Pages 2309–2316.
  12. Cole JM, Grogan S, Turley E. “The most lonely condition I can imagine”: Psychosocial impacts of endometriosis on women’s identity. Feminism & Psychology. 2021;31(2):171-191.

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