Endometriosis: associations with menorrhagia, infertility and oral contraceptives.

In a retrospective study of 163 women with endometriosis, 76% had a history of menorrhagia, a larger percentage than that which might be normally expected. Only 10% of the women complained of infertility, while 13% had used oral contraceptives regularly, a much smaller proportion than expected. These findings are discussed in terms of the pathogenesis of endometriosis and the possible prophylactic role of oral contraceptives. The authors suggest the possibility that increased sensitivity to estrogens may lead to the development of endometriosis in some women.