Authors

Paolo Vercellini, M.D., Edgardo Somigliana, M.D., Laura Buggio, M.D., Giussy Barbara, M.D., Maria Pina Frattaruolo, M.D., Luigi Fedele, M.D.

Volume 98, Issue 6, Pages 1503-1511.e1, December 2012

Abstract

Objective:

To assess the impact of rectovaginal endometriosis on pain at intercourse and sexual functioning.

Design:

Case-control study.

Setting:

Academic department.

Patients:

Cases were subjects with rectovaginal endometriosis (n = 100), and controls were women with a surgical diagnosis of peritoneal and/or ovarian endometriosis (n = 100) or without endometriosis (n = 100).

Intervention:

Questionnaires (visual analogue scale [VAS] and revised Sabbatsberg Sexual Self-Rating Scale [SRS]).

Main Outcome Measures:

Frequency and severity of deep dyspareunia and sexual functioning.

Results:

Deep dyspareunia was reported by 67/100 (67%) women in the rectovaginal endometriosis group, 52/99 (53%) in the peritoneal and/or ovarian endometriosis group, and 24/93 (26%) in the non-endometriosis group. Corresponding mean  SD dyspareunia VAS scores were, respectively, 44  34, 30  32, and 13  26. Women in both endometriosis groups performed significantly worse than those in the non-endometriosis group in several SRS subdomains. No significant difference in overall SRS score was detected between women in the two endometriosis groups.

Conclusions:

Women with endometriosis experienced more frequent and severe deep dyspareunia and worse sexual functioning compared with women without endometriosis, whereas differences between women with diverse endometriosis forms were marginal.

Read the full text at: http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(12)01882-1/fulltext