Impact of Endometriosis on Life-Course Potential: A Narrative Review

Affiliations

¹ Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NorthShore University Health System, Evanston, IL, USA.
³ Department of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Endometriosis Research and Treatment, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
⁴ Department of Gynecology Obstetrics II and Reproductive Medicine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Universitaire Paris Centre, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Cochin, Paris, France.
⁵ AbbVie, Inc., North Chicago, IL, USA.
⁶ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ponce Health Sciences University - Ponce Research Institute, School of Medicine, Ponce, Puerto Rico.
⁷ Department of Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
⁸ Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
⁹ Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Boston Center for Endometriosis and Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
¹¹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Ottawa, and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
¹² Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
¹³ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.

PMID: 33442286
PMCID: PMC7800443
DOI: 10.2147/IJGM.S261139

Review

Impact of Endometriosis on Life-Course Potential: A Narrative Review

Stacey A Missmer et al. Int J Gen Med. 2021.

. 2021 Jan 7:14:9-25.

doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S261139. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NorthShore University Health System, Evanston, IL, USA.
³ Department of Reproductive Medicine, Center for Endometriosis Research and Treatment, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
⁴ Department of Gynecology Obstetrics II and Reproductive Medicine, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Universitaire Paris Centre, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Cochin, Paris, France.
⁵ AbbVie, Inc., North Chicago, IL, USA.
⁶ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ponce Health Sciences University - Ponce Research Institute, School of Medicine, Ponce, Puerto Rico.
⁷ Department of Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
⁸ Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
⁹ Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Boston Center for Endometriosis and Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
¹¹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Ottawa, and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
¹² Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
¹³ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.

PMID: 33442286
PMCID: PMC7800443
DOI: 10.2147/IJGM.S261139

Abstract

Endometriosis may exert a profound negative influence on the lives of individuals with the disorder, adversely affecting quality of life, participation in daily and social activities, physical and sexual functioning, relationships, educational and work productivity, mental health, and well-being. Over the course of a lifetime, these daily challenges may translate into limitations in achieving life goals such as pursuing or completing educational opportunities; making career choices or advancing in a chosen career; forming stable, fulfilling relationships; or starting a family, all of which ultimately alter one's life trajectory. The potential for endometriosis to impact the life course is considerable, as symptom onset generally occurs at a time of life (menarche through menopause, adolescence through middle age) when multiple life-changing and trajectory-defining decisions are made. Using a life-course approach, we examine how the known effects of endometriosis on life-domain satisfaction may impact health and well-being across the life course of affected individuals. We provide a quasi-systematic, narrative review of the literature as well as expert opinion on recommendations for clinical management and future research directions.

Keywords: endometriosis; health trajectory; life-course impairment.

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Conflict of interest statement

SAM reports grants and personal fees from AbbVie and personal fees from Roche Diagnostics, outside the submitted work; has received research support from the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, and the Marriott Family Foundations; and has received honorarium for consultancy from AbbVie, Roche, and Celmatix. FFT reports personal fees from AbbVie and Myovant, and royalties from UpToDate, during the conduct of the study; has received grants from NIH, outside the submitted work; has received research support from NICHD-NIH, NIDDK-NIH; and has served as a consultant for AbbVie and Uroshape. SKA reports grants and personal fees from AbbVie and grants from SOBI, during the conduct of the study; grants and personal fees from AbbVie, outside the submitted work; has received research support from AbbVie and SOBI; and has served as a consultant for AbbVie. CC has served as a consultant for AbbVie, Bayer, and Ipsen. AMS reports being an employee of AbbVie Inc. and owning stocks in AbbVie Inc., during the conduct of the study; and in addition has a patent, US Patent App. 16/105,440 pending to AbbVie Inc. and a patent US Patent App. 16/105,396. SC reports salary from AbbVie, outside the submitted work. SE reports being an AbbVie full-time employee with salary, outside the submitted work. IF-C reports personal fees from Idhaliz Flores/PHSU, during the conduct of the study, has received research support from NICHD-NIH; Bayer-Society for the Study of Reproduction; and the Puerto Rico Science, Research, and Technology Trust; and has served as a consultant for AbbVie. AWH reports consultancy fees paid directly to their employer and funds used for research from AbbVie, Roche Diagnostics, Ferring, and Nordic Pharma, and grants from MRC, NIHR, Chief Scientist’s Office, Wellbeing of Women, Roche Diagnostics, Astra Zeneca, and Ferring, outside the submitted work; has received research support from MRC, NIHR, Wellbeing of Women, Roche Diagnostics, Astra Zeneca, and Ferring; and has served as a consultant for AbbVie, Roche Diagnostics, Ferring, and Nordic Pharma. ABK reports grants and personal fees from AbbVie, during the conduct of the study; has received research support and fellowship funding from AbbVie; and has served as a consultant for AbbVie. MRL reports grants from J Willard & Alice S Marriott Foundation, NextGen Jane Scientific Advisory Board, Wolters Kluwer Editor Emans, Laufer, Goldstein’s Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology 2020, and AbbVie Scientific Advisory Board, during the conduct of the study; has received research support from the J Willard and Alice S Marriott Foundation, and the Marriott Daughters Foundation; and has served as a consultant for NextJaneGen and AbbVie. NL reports grants from AbbVie, during the conduct of the study; personal fees from AbbVie, outside the submitted work; has served as a consultant for Allergan, Bayer, and AbbVie; and has received research support from Bayer, AbbVie, and Allergan. SSS reports grants and personal fees from Bayer, advisory board work and support CME education programs from Hologic, and research grants to their institution, advisory board work, and support CME education programs from AbbVie and Allergan, outside the submitted work; has received research support from AbbVie, Allergan and Bayer; and has served as a consultant for AbbVie, Bayer, Allergan, Merck, Hologic, and Myovant. HST reports grants from AbbVie, outside the submitted work; has received research support from Dot Lab; and has served as a consultant for Bayer, Obseva, and AbbVie. SAS reports personal fees from AbbVie, Bayer, Merck, Myovant Sciences, and UpToDate, during the conduct of the study; has received research support from NICHD-NIH; earns royalties from UpToDate; and has served as a consultant for AbbVie, Myovant Sciences, Bayer, and Merck. The authors report no other potential conflicts of interest for this work.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Connections between endometriosis-associated impairments and life impacts.

**Figure 2**
Theoretical effects of endometriosis on life-course trajectory. Life exposures and their influences on a patient’s attainments in life, education, family, career, etc. A comparison of untreated or persistently symptomatic endometriosis vs no endometriosis.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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Impact of Endometriosis on Life-Course Potential: A Narrative Review

Affiliations

Impact of Endometriosis on Life-Course Potential: A Narrative Review

Authors

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Conflict of interest statement

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