The long and winding road to menopause: a true milestone or an illusion for women with endometriosis?

Objective: – The primary objective of this study was to determine whether women with and without a history of endometriosis experience menopause differently, in terms of their satisfaction with quality of life. Methods: – This study was conducted at Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Policlinico Hospital, Milan, from October 2022 to April 2024. The total sample included 394 postmenopausal women aged 48-55 years: 197 with a clinical history of endometriosis (group 1) and 197 without (group 2). All participants were required to complete a series of validated questionnaires assessing quality of life (Short-Form Health Survey 12, SF-12), sexual function (Female Sexual Function Index [FSFI]), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]), climacteric symptoms (Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire [MENQOL]), and satisfaction with their clinical condition using a 5-point Likert scale. Results: – The SF-12 scores were significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1 (physical score: P=0.01; mental score: P<0.001). Group 1 reported lower satisfaction levels than group 2; however, this difference was not statistically significant (OR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.5-1.2, P=0.26). The FSFI, HADS, and MENQOL scores were not significantly different between the two groups (FSFI score, P = 0.20; HADS anxiety score, P=0.11; HADS depression score, P=0.48; MENQOL score, P = 0.91). Conclusion: – Postmenopausal women with a history of endometriosis appear to have a similar quality of life compared with those without such a history. While the overall quality of life scores were higher in women without endometriosis, both groups reported comparable climacteric symptoms, sexual functioning, and anxiety and depression levels.