Time elapsed from onset of symptoms to diagnosis of endometriosis in a cohort study of Brazilian women
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The study aim was to assess the time elapsed between onset of symptoms and diagnosis of endometriosis, and to identify the factors associated with diagnostic delay in a group of Brazilian women. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, 200 women with surgically confirmed endometriosis were interviewed at an endometriosis outpatient clinic. RESULTS: The median (interquartile range) time elapsed from onset of symptoms until diagnosis of endometriosis was 7.0 (range 3.5-12.1) years. The younger the women at onset of symptoms, the longer the period for diagnosis to be made: the median delay was 12.1 (range 8.0-17.2) years in women aged < or =19 years, and 3.3 (range 2.0-5.5) years in women aged > or =30 years. The median time period between onset of symptoms and diagnosis was 4.0 (2.0-6.0) years for women whose main complaint was infertility, but 7.4 (3.6-13.0) years for those with pelvic pain. CONCLUSIONS: The delay in diagnosis of endometriosis was considered to be long, and especially so for young women with pelvic pain. More information relating to endometriosis should be offered to general physicians and gynaecologists in order to reduce the time taken to diagnose this condition.
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Patients with endometriosis endure symptoms for years without being diagnosed, confirming a worrisome trend and worldwide public health problem.
“This study thus confirms a worrisome trend and worldwide public health problem: patients with endometriosis endure symptoms for years without being diagnosed (8-12, 27-29).”
From Patients’ report on how endometriosis affects health, work, and daily life (2010) · cites this paper as [28]
Past studies have shown that the diagnostic experience is typically longer for those women experiencing pain symptoms as opposed to those experiencing infertility.
“Past studies have shown that the diagnostic experience is typically longer for those women experiencing pain symptoms as opposed to those experiencing infertility (5, 10)”
From Diagnostic experience among 4,334 women reporting surgically diagnosed endometriosis (2009) · cites this paper as [10]
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- Authors
- Arruda, M. S.
- Affiliations
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) (BR)
- Corresponding author
- Arruda, M.S.
- Venue
- Human Reproduction
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2003-04-01
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 756-759
- ISSN
- 0268-1161 (ISSN-L)
- 1460-2350
- OpenAlex
- W2111297082
- Cited by
- 373
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 19
- FWCI
- 5.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Human Reproduction (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Endometriosis Research and Treatment
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Gynecological conditions and treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Ectopic Pregnancy Diagnosis and Management
- Keywords
- endometriosis, delayed diagnosis, time to diagnosis, symptom onset, pelvic pain, infertility, age at symptom onset, young women, Brazilian women
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Age Factors, Brazil, Dysmenorrhea, Dyspareunia, Endometriosis, Female, Humans, Infertility, Female, Time Factors, Cohort Studies, Pelvic Pain
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