Early-Life Exposures and Odds of Adenomyosis: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.

Background: Adenomyosis can confer life-altering symptoms such as pelvic pain. Yet, the epidemiologic study of this uterine condition lags other gynaecologic conditions. This includes the investigation of intrauterine exposures that could disrupt foetal development and contribute to the presence of adenomyosis in adulthood.

Urinary cadmium and endometriosis prevalence in a US nationally representative sample: results from NHANES 1999-2006.

Study Question: Is exposure to toxic metal cadmium associated with increased endometriosis prevalence among a nationally representative sample of the US population?

Summary Answer: Concentrations of urinary cadmium, a long-term biomarker (10-30 years) of cadmium exposure, were associated with an increased prevalence of endometriosis.

What Is Known Already: Cadmium exhibits estrogenic properties and may increase the risk of endometriosis, a gynecologic condition associated with substantial morbidity, for which estrogen has a central pathogenic role. Previous epidemiological studies of cadmium and endometriosis have yielded mixed results, with null, positive, and inverse associations being reported.

Breastfeeding history and adenomyosis risk using a novel case-control study design.

Objective: To evaluate the association between breastfeeding history, including lifetime exclusive breastfeeding, and risk of adenomyosis.

Design: We used data from a case-control study designed with 2 control groups to address the challenge of selecting noncases for a valid epidemiologic study when cases are identified by hysterectomy. The case-control study was conducted among premenopausal and postmenopausal enrollees aged 18-59 years in a large, integrated health care system in western Washington state.