Abayomi B. Ajayi1, Victor D. Ajayi1, Oluwafunmilola Biobaku1, Ifeoluwa Oyetunji1, Happiness Aikhuele1, Adedamilola Atiba1, Bamgboye M. Afolabi2

Abstract
Background: Endometriosis is a debilitating disease in women of child-bearing age.
Objective: To describe the pattern of presentation, stage of endometriosis and biophysical profile of patients with
endometriosis.
Method: A retrospective study of 61 consecutive infertile patients between June 2003 and November 2014.
Results: The means (±SD) of age (years) and of body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2) of the patients were 34.1 (4.3) and
25.8 (5.0), respectively. A relatively high percentage (43, 70.5%) of the women were in the age range of 31-40 years;
had normal BMI (27, 44.3%); were nulliparous (53, 86.9%) and were of primary infertility (40, 65.6%). The mean
(±SD) age at menarche, of cycle length, of the duration of flow and of years trying to conceive were 12.9 (1.7) years,
29.1 (2.7) days, 4.7 (1.1) days and 5.2 (3.8) years, respectively. A high proportion of them (37, 60.7%) presented
with severe endometriosis. The main symptoms at presentation was dysmenorrhea (47, 73.8%). Of the 32 (52.5%)
with associated utero-tubal factor, 20 (62.5%) were in severe stage of endometriosis. Among women with endometriosis, those with primary infertility were over three times more likely to present with menorrhagia than those with secondary infertility (χ² = 4.70; p value = 0.03; OR = 3.33; 95% CI = 1.10, 10.12). Only 3 (4.9%) had diagnosis of endometriosis in first-degree relative. Dysmenorrhea was a strong predictor of severe endometriosis.

Conclusions: There may be some trends in the biophysical profile of infertile women with endometriosis which
may influence diagnosis and management.

Keywords: Black African women, Dysmenorrhea, Endometrioma, Endometriosis, Menarche, Nordica Fertility
Center

Full Abstract A 10-year study of endometriosis in an indigenous black African population