The positive effect of pregnancy on ovarian endometriosis: reality or fiction?

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2020.5.174-80

Dubrovina S.O., Berlim Yu.D., Gimbut V.S., Vovkochina M.A., Voronova O.V., Aleksandrina A.D.
1) Rostov State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia, Rostov-on-Don, Russia; 2) RZhD-Medicine Clinical Hospital, Rostov-on-Don, Russia

It is generally believed that pregnancy positively affects endometriosis mainly due to suppression of ovulation and bleeding resulting from endometriotic lesions and various alterations associated with pregnancy. Pregnancy is usually recommended as a possible factor to reduce the progression of endometriosis for women with this condition. Nonetheless, endometriosis can develop differently and that there is no evidence that pregnancy can generally reduce the size and number of endometriotic lesions. Expansion of and structural changes in the lesions during pregnancy may be accompanied by decidualization. The results of studying the effect of pregnancy on endometriosis are controversial, whereas pregnancy in women with endometriosis is not always associated with improved symptoms. This paper highlights the progression of endometriosis during pregnancy and subsequent acute complications that require surgery in some cases. Therefore, women with endometriosis who want to get pregnant should not be convinced that pregnancy may be a possible strategy for managing symptoms and reducing disease progression.
Conclusion. The results of studying the effect of pregnancy on endometriosis are controversial, whereas pregnancy in women with endometriosis is not always associated with improved symptoms.

endometriosis

endometrioid cyst

pregnancy

dydrogesterone

decidualization

Full text (in Russian)

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Received 26.05.2020

Accepted 28.05.2020

Svetlana O. Dubrovina, MD, professor, the main scientific researcher of Scientific Research Institute of Obstetric and Pediatric of Rostov State Medical University.
Е-mail: s.dubrovina@gmail.com. 344022, Rostov-On-Don, per. Nakhichevansky, 29, Russia.
Yuliya D. Berlim, PhD, MD, the Head of Department of the out-patients¢ clinic of Rostov State Medical University. Tel.: +7(918)500-23-56. Е-mail: juliaberlim@yandex.ru.
344022, Rostov-On-Don, per. Nakhichevansky, 29, Russia.
Vitaliy S. Gimbut, PhD, MD, senior scientific researcher of Scientific Research Institute of Obstetrics and Pediatrics of Rostov State Medical University.
Tel.: +7(863)232-18-40. E-mail: vgimbut@gmail.com. 344022, Rostov-On-Don, per. Nakhichevansky, 29, Russia.
Marinа A. Vovkochina, gynecologist obstetrician of Scientific Research Institute of Obstetric and Pediatric of Rostov State Medical University.
Tel.: +7(918)559-00-30. E.-mail: Jordan-85@inbox.ru. 344022, Rostov-On-Don, per. Nakhichevansky, 29, Russia.
Olga V. Voronova, the leader of Department of clinical pathomorphology and cytology «Clinical hospital «Russian Railways-Medicine», Rostov-on-Don.
Tel.: +7(904)340-18-73. E.-mail: 9043401873@mail.ru. 344011, Rostov-on-Don, Varfolomeeva 92а, Russia.
Anna D. Alexandrina, gynecologist obstetrician of Rostov State Medical University. Tel.: +7(904)448-58-42. E.-mail: anna221215@inbox.ru.
344022, Rostov-On-Don, per. Nakhichevansky, 29, Russia.

For reference: Dubrovina S.O., Berlim Yu.D., Gimbut V.S., Vovkochina M.A., Voronova O.V., Aleksandrina A.D. The positive effect of pregnancy on ovarian endometriosis: reality or fiction?
Akusherstvo i Ginekologiya. 2020; 5: 174-80
https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2020.5.174-80

The positive effect of pregnancy on ovarian endometriosis: reality or fiction?

Dubrovina S.O., Berlim Yu.D., Gimbut V.S., Vovkochina M.A., Voronova O.V., Aleksandrina A.D.

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