title: Endometriosis is associated with a decreased risk of pre-eclampsia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We postulated that impaired endometrial differentiation in women with pelvic endometriosis predisposes for pre-eclampsia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective case-control study set at the University of Ghent IVF centre. The incidence of pre-eclampsia and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) following the clinical and/or laparoscopic diagnosis of endometriosis-associated infertility (case group; n = 245 pregnancies) was compared with the incidence of these obstetric complications in pregnancies following treatment for male-factor infertility (control group; n = 274 pregnancies). Pregnancy data were obtained by searching electronic databases and postal questionnaires. The case and control groups were matched for age, parity and multiple pregnancies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of pre-eclampsia was significantly lower in the case group (0.8%) when compared with control group (5.8%) (P = 0.002; odds ratio (OR) = 7.5, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.7-33.3). Analysis of obstetric outcome in the subgroup of patients with laparoscopic data confirmed the lower risk of pre-eclampsia in the case (1.2%) versus control (7.4%) groups (P = 0.032; OR = 6.6, 95% CI: 1.2-37). PIH occurred in 3.5% and 8.7% of case and control pregnancies, respectively (P = 0.018; OR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.2-6.0). The odds of developing pre-eclampsia were 5.67 times higher in the control group than in pregnancies following endometriosis-associated infertility. In multiple pregnancies, the odds of developing pre-eclampsia increased 1.93 times per additional child, with or without endometriosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found no evidence that endometriosis predisposes for pre-eclampsia. Instead, the risk of hypertensive disorder in pregnancy is significantly reduced in women with endometriosis-associated infertility.
authors: Leuven Institute for Fertility and Embryology, Tiensevest 168, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. ivo.brosens@med.kuleuven.ac.be
authors: Ivo A
authors: IA
authors: Brosens
authors: Petra
authors: P
authors: De Sutter
authors: Tjalina
authors: T
authors: Hamerlynck
authors: Lindita
authors: L
authors: Imeraj
authors: Zhan
authors: Z
authors: Yao
authors: Brianna
authors: B
authors: Cloke
authors: Jan J
authors: JJ
authors: Brosens
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Dhont
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012306:Risk; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000150:complications*