The ENDO Study is a collaborative epidemiologic study whose goal is to assess the relation between exposure to environmental chemicals and lifestyle factors that may affect womens reproductive health. Particular focus will be on the relation between hormonally active chemicals and risk of developing endometriosis considering womens lifestyles. Endometriosis is a condition in which endometrial tissue is found outside the uterus and can be associated with pelvic pain, menstrual changes and infertility. Approximately 10% of women aged 18-44 years may be affected, and many cases may be currently undetected. To date, the cause of endometriosis is unknown and, increasingly, an environmental etiology is suspected for some affected women. To answer questions about the effect of the environment and lifestyle on womens gynecologic health, the ENDO Study will use an operative cohort design. Women aged 18-44 years residing in geographically defined areas of California and Utah who are undergoing laparoscopy or laparotomy are eligible for inclusion in this study, along with women who reside in geographic areas served by participating hospitals and clinics. Participation in the study asks women to: 1) complete an interview to provide information about lifestyle and medical history;2) complete an anthropometric assessment to measure fatness and 3) provide blood and urine samples for the measurement of chemicals. Women undergoing surgery will be asked permission for the surgeon to remove fat, peritoneal fluid and endometrial tissue for laboratory analysis to help identify the cause(s) of endometriosis. Publications are underway.

Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$65,000
Indirect Cost
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State
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Schliep, K C; Chen, Z; Stanford, J B et al. (2017) Endometriosis diagnosis and staging by operating surgeon and expert review using multiple diagnostic tools: an inter-rater agreement study. BJOG 124:220-229
Schliep, K C; Mumford, Sunni L; Johnstone, Erica B et al. (2016) Sexual and physical abuse and gynecologic disorders. Hum Reprod 31:1904-12
Buck Louis, Germaine M; Backonja, Uba; Schliep, Karen C et al. (2016) Women's Reproductive History Before the Diagnosis of Incident Endometriosis. J Womens Health (Larchmt) 25:1021-1029
Backonja, Uba; Buck Louis, Germaine M; Lauver, Diane R (2016) Overall Adiposity, Adipose Tissue Distribution, and Endometriosis: A Systematic Review. Nurs Res 65:151-66
Johnstone, Erica B; Louis, Germaine M Buck; Parsons, Patrick J et al. (2014) Increased urinary cobalt and whole blood concentrations of cadmium and lead in women with uterine leiomyomata: Findings from the ENDO Study. Reprod Toxicol 49:27-32
Pollack, Anna Z; Louis, Germaine M Buck; Chen, Zhen et al. (2013) Trace elements and endometriosis: the ENDO study. Reprod Toxicol 42:41-8
Buck Louis, Germaine M; Peterson, C Matthew; Chen, Zhen et al. (2013) Bisphenol A and phthalates and endometriosis: the Endometriosis: Natural History, Diagnosis and Outcomes Study. Fertil Steril 100:162-9.e1-2
Wolff, Erin Foran; Sun, Liping; Hediger, Mary L et al. (2013) In utero exposures and endometriosis: the Endometriosis, Natural History, Disease, Outcome (ENDO) Study. Fertil Steril 99:790-5
Peterson, C Matthew; Johnstone, Erica B; Hammoud, Ahmad O et al. (2013) Risk factors associated with endometriosis: importance of study population for characterizing disease in the ENDO Study. Am J Obstet Gynecol 208:451.e1-11
Buck Louis, Germaine M; Hediger, Mary L; Peterson, C Matthew et al. (2011) Incidence of endometriosis by study population and diagnostic method: the ENDO study. Fertil Steril 96:360-5

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