Table 2.
Characteristics of menarche and menstruation history of the Endometriosis, Natural History, Diagnosis, and Outcomes Study (2007–2009) (N=473)
| Characteristic | Total (n=473 [100.0%]) | Endometriosis (n=166 [35.0%]) | PCOS (n=41 [9.0%]) | Endometriosis + PCOS (n=24 [5.0%]) | Neither (n=242 [51.0%]) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age at menarche (y) | .33 | |||||
| ≤11 | 90 (19.1) | 32 (19.3) | 4 (9.8) | 8 (33.3) | 46 (19.1) | |
| 12–13 | 236 (50.0) | 80 (48.2) | 24 (58.5) | 8 (33.3) | 124 (51.4) | |
| ≥14 | 146 (30.9) | 54 (33.5) | 13 (31.7) | 8 (33.3) | 71 (29.5) | |
| No. of menstrual cyclesa | <.001 | |||||
| None | 18 (3.8) | 3 (1.8) | 2 (4.9) | 3 (8.3) | 11 (4.6) | |
| 1–3 | 25 (5.3) | 2 (1.2) | 7 (17.1) | 3 (12.5) | 13 (5.4) | |
| 4–6 | 31 (6.6) | 6 (3.6) | 13 (31.7) | 2 (8.3) | 10 (4.2) | |
| 7–9 | 37 (7.9) | 14 (8.5) | 8 (19.5) | 6 (25) | 9 (3.8) | |
| 10–12 | 286 (60.8) | 118 (71.5) | 9 (22.0) | 10 (41.7) | 149 (62.1) | |
| ≥13 | 73 (15.5) | 22 (12.3) | 2 (4.9) | 1 (4.2) | 48 (20) | |
| Average cycle lengtha | <.001 | |||||
| <22 | 89 (19.4) | 23 (14.1) | 6 (15.4) | 4 (18.2) | 56 (23.7) | |
| 22–24 | 15 (3.3) | 5 (3.1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 10 (4.2) | |
| 25–27 | 49 (10.6) | 20 (12.3) | 1 (2.6) | 2 (9.1) | 26 (11.0) | |
| 28–30 | 244 (53.0) | 96 (58.9) | 17 (43.6) | 9 (40.9) | 122 (51.7) | |
| 31–33 | 22 (4.8) | 11 (6.8) | 3 (7.7) | 1 (4.6) | 7 (3.0) | |
| ≥34 | 40 (8.9) | 8 (4.9) | 12 (30.8) | 6 (27.3) | 15 (6.4) | |
| Mean±SD | 29.5±25.2 | 27.1±5.9 | 48.7±64.9 | 32.1±21.7 | 27.7±20.6 | <.001 |
| Length of shortest cycle (d)a | 19.5±23.7 | 17.8±10.3 | 36.4±67.8 | 18.0±13.9 | 17.9±14.3 | <0.001 |
| Length of longest cycle (d)a | 31.2±33.6 | 25.5±15.4 | 58.8±73.7 | 50.0±46.7 | 28.8±27.9 | <.001 |
| Periods in the past 12 mo typical of the last 5 y | ||||||
| Yes | 178 (37.9) | 72 (43.4) | 13 (32.5) | 11 (47.8) | 82 (34.2) | .17 |
| No, specify | ||||||
| More frequent | 83 (28.5) | 26 (27.7) | 6 (22.2) | 3 (25.0) | 48 (30.4) | .83 |
| Less frequent | 49 (16.8) | 13 (13.8) | 10 (37.0) | 4 (33.3) | 22 (13.9) | .008 |
| Heavier bleeding | 174 (59.8) | 63 (67.0) | 7 (25.9) | 9 (75.0) | 95 (60.1) | .001 |
| Lighter bleeding | 77 (26.5) | 21 (22.3) | 12 (44.4) | 3 (25.0) | 41 (26.0) | .15 |
| Bleeding more days | 143 (49.1) | 50 (53.2) | 8 (29.6) | 6 (50.0) | 79 (50.0) | .19 |
| Bleeding fewer days | 56 (19.2) | 18 (19.2) | 7 (25.9) | 2 (16.7) | 29 (18.4) | .82 |
| Pelvic pain of >6 mo affecting normal function | .06 | |||||
| No | 290 (61.4) | 96 (57.8) | 24 (58.5) | 10 (41.7) | 160 (66.4) | |
| Yes | 182 (38.6) | 70 (42.2) | 17 (41.5) | 14 (58.3) | 81 (33.6) | |
| Painful menstrual cramps of >6 mo | <.001 | |||||
| No | 287 (60.9) | 81 (48.8) | 32 (78.0) | 15 (62.5) | 159 (66.3) | |
| Yes, specify duration (mo) | ||||||
| <6 | 15 (5.9) | 8 (7.6) | 1 (5.3) | 1 (6.7) | 5 (4.4) | |
| 6–12 | 55 (21.6) | 21 (19.8) | 8 (42.1) | 3 (20.0) | 23 (20.2) | |
| 13–24 | 46 (18.1) | 24 (22.6) | 1 (5.3) | 2 (13.3) | 19 (16.7) | |
| >24 | 138 (54.3) | 53 (50.0) | 9 (47.4) | 9 (60.0) | 67 (58.8) | |
Data are presented as number (percentage), unless otherwise indicated. To assess differences among the diagnosis of endometriosis, PCOS, endometriosis + PCOS, and neither, the analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis test was used for continuous variables, and the chi-square or Fisher exact test was used for categorical variables.
PCOS, polycystic ovarian syndrome; SD, standard deviation.
aLast 12 months.
Schliep. Endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome overlap. Am J Obstet Gynecol Glob Rep 2023.