title: Women of reproductive age with endometriosis are not osteopenic.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether women of reproductive age with endometriosis are osteopenic and whether bone density decreases with higher stages of endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter cross-sectional study was performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine gynecological clinics in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred forty-one women of reproductive age with laparoscopically proved endometriosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnostic laparoscopy, bone densitometry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Endometriosis stages according to the criteria of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, lumbar spine bone mineral density (L2-L4) as measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean lumbar spine bone mineral density, as well as the distribution of bone mineral density, of the women with endometriosis was similar to that of a normal population. There were no significant differences between endometriosis stage groups I-IV regarding bone mineral density as well as body weight, body mass index, and height.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women of reproductive age with endometriosis are not osteopenic. More advanced stages of endometriosis are not associated with a decrease in lumbar spine bone mineral density.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murano
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chesnut
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged