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Endometriosis has been found to significantly elevate the risk of various mental health conditions, as reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

About Endometriosis

Endometriosis, a condition often leads to chronic pelvic pain, menstrual pain, and infertility, affects around 1 in 10 women and can severely impact their quality of life. The World Health Organization notes that women with endometriosis frequently experience depression, anxiety, fatigue, debilitating pain, and discomfort during intercourse.

Risk of Depression, Anxiety, and Other Mental Health Conditions

A recent study has shed light on the connection between endometriosis and an increased risk of mental health issues. This retrospective cohort study revealed that women with endometriosis are more prone to depression, anxiety, and other psychological disorders. The research analyzed data collected from the Ontario Health Insurance Program (OHIP), which operates within a single-payer healthcare system.

Study Methodology

Researchers conducted a population-based study involving women aged 18 to 50 who were newly diagnosed with endometriosis between January 1, 2010, and July 1, 2020. The study included medical and surgical diagnosis criteria for identifying endometriosis cases. Patients with a history of hysterectomy or bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) before the study period were excluded.

The primary focus was on the first occurrence of a mental health diagnosis, such as anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, self-harm, or psychosis. Data was collected until death, loss of OHIP coverage, first malignant cancer diagnosis, or the end of the study period.

Key Findings

Out of 35,944 women with endometriosis, 29.5% were medically diagnosed, 60.5% were surgically diagnosed, and 10% had both medical and surgical diagnoses. These women were compared with 71,888 women without endometriosis. The study found that 67% of women with endometriosis developed mental health conditions compared to 51.2% of those without the condition. This translates to incidence rates of 105.3 events per 1000 person-years for those with endometriosis, versus 66.5 events per 1000 person-years for those without.

Implications and Recommendations

The highest risk for mental health issues was observed in the year following an endometriosis diagnosis, with the risk decreasing over time. Factors such as infertility, pregnancy after diagnosis, and hysterectomy were significant, whereas BSO was not. Seven percent of women with endometriosis faced severe mental health conditions compared to 4.6% of those without. Medically diagnosed patients showed the highest risk for self-harm.