A long-term follow-up study of women with asymptomatic endometriosis diagnosed incidentally at sterilization.

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.