title: Induction of a local pseudo-pregnancy for the treatment of endometriosis.
abstract: As a common cause of chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis affects 10% of women of reproductive age. The most popular strategy for treating endometriosis is pseudo-pregnancy therapy. However, the efficacy of common systemic pseudo-pregnancy therapy is significantly attenuated by poor compliance because of so many side effects. While levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine systems (LNG-IUS) successfully localize the effect of pseudo-pregnancy to the genital tract in treating endometriosis, it seemed to be insufficient to suppress the ovarian and extragenital endometriosis. We postulate that induction of a local pseudo-pregnancy via progestogen-loaded microsphere in the lesions of endometriosis may provide a more effective treatment with fewer side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No 17 Changle West Road, Xi'an, Shaan'xi 710032, China. ypfmmu@gmail.com
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Yanhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Biliang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jianfang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007436:Intrauterine Devices, Medicated; D016912:Levonorgestrel / Q000494:pharmacology; D008863:Microspheres; D008954:Models, Biological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011108:Polymers; D011555:Pseudopregnancy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011108:Polymers; D016912:Levonorgestrel