Can Oral Contraceptives Prevent Endometrioma Recurrence After Surgical Excision?

Endometriomas were less likely to recur, and, if they did, were smaller in women who used oral contraceptives.

Surgical removal of ovarian endometriomas is the treatment of choice, but as many as 30% of women experience recurrences. Can oral contraceptives (OCs) prevent such recurrences? To address this question, investigators randomly assigned 239 women (age range, 20–40) who underwent laparoscopic excision of endometriomas ≥4 cm at a single hospital in Italy to receive no postoperative treatment, cyclic OCs, or continuous OCs for 2 years postoperatively.

At 2-year follow-up, 37 endometrioma recurrences were detected with ultrasonography. Significantly fewer recurrences occurred in both groups of OC users (14.7% for cyclic and 8.2% for continuous) than in nonusers (29%). In addition, mean diameter of recurrent endometriomas at initial detection was …

Reviewing Author

Robert W. Rebar, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardMyovant Sciences, Inc.

Editorial BoardsEndoText; Clinical OB/GYN Alert

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society for Reproductive Medicine (Member, Ethics Committee)

Robert W. Rebar, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardMyovant Sciences, Inc.

Editorial BoardsEndoText; Clinical OB/GYN Alert

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society for Reproductive Medicine (Member, Ethics Committee)

Can Oral Contraceptives Prevent Endometrioma Recurrence After Surgical Excision?

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Reviewing Author