THE MEDICAL TREATMENT OF MILD ENDOMETRIOSIS

Abstract

Minor degrees of endometriosis have often been regarded as being of no import and hence remain untreated, but a study of the natural history of endometriosis has demonstrated that 47% (95% confidence limits, 23–71%) of patients (n=35) given placebo in a double-blind, randomized controlled trial showed progression of the disease when assessed before and after treatment by laparoscopy. The active agent, the progestogen gestrinone, was given at a dose of 2.5 mg twice weekly and resulted in an improvement of the disease (p in vitro fertilization suggests a reduced fertilization rate. Nevertheless, these patients require active treatment if these problems are not to be compounded by adhesions, possibly leading to ovarian enclosure, that would further reduce the untreated cumulative conception rate.