Endometriosis-associated pain: a review of quality of life, sexual health and couple relationship

Valentina Rossi, Francesca Tripodi, Chiara Simonelli, Roberta Galizia, Filippo Maria Nimbi, Filippo M Nimbi
Minerva obstetrics and gynecology · 2021 · vol. 73(5) , pp. 536–552 · doi:10.23736/s2724-606x.21.04781-3 · PMID:33904688 · W3159739361
review OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 28 in-corpus citations
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-06 ⓘ

This review analyzes literature on endometriosis-associated pain, finding it negatively impacts women's quality of life, sexual health, and couple relationships through complex bio-psycho-social factors.

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease that affects women's quality of life, sexuality, and relationship. Endometriosis-associated pain plays an essential role in well-being impairment. The present review aimed to analyze literature about endometriosis-associated pain and quality of life, sexual health, and quality of the relationship, assessing the role of the bio-psycho-social factors involved and the women's pain experience. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Bibliographic research of relevant articles published from 2015 to 2020 in PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCO, and Cochrane Library. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Endometriosis is associated with impairing all women's quality of life domains, and pain appears to be the most influential variable. The pain mechanism is not simple and implies several biological, psychological, and social factors. Women's sexual health is also impaired, and patients report dyspareunia, sexual dysfunctions, dissatisfaction, and distress. Partners' sexual well-being is compromised as well. Endometriosis negatively influences relationship quality, and the illness burden affects both couple members. CONCLUSIONS: A multidisciplinary team using a couple-centered and a biopsychosocial approach is crucial to provide appropriate treatment for endometriosis-associated pain. A better comprehension of all bio-psycho-social aspects implicated in women's well-being and pain experience needs more research.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004414mesh:D004715mesh:D017699endometriosisdyspareunia

MeSH descriptors

Dyspareunia Dyspareunia Endometriosis Endometriosis Sexual Health Female Humans Pelvic Pain Quality of Life

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (100)

Cited by (28)

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License: CC0 · commercial use OK