A new study has found that endometriosis is associated with a slightly elevated risk of birth defects in infants, adding to a growing body of research on how the condition can affect pregnancy outcomes, according to News-Medical.
Endometriosis is a chronic condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it, often causing significant pain, inflammation, and in many cases, fertility difficulties. It affects an estimated one in ten women of reproductive age worldwide, though many cases go undiagnosed for years.
The study found that while the overall increase in birth defect risk was described as slight, it was measurable and statistically meaningful. Researchers noted that women with endometriosis already face a range of pregnancy-related complications at higher rates than women without the condition, including preterm birth and low birth weight, and the new findings add birth defects to that list of considerations.
News-Medical reported that the research examined data on infants born to mothers diagnosed with endometriosis and compared outcomes to those of mothers without the condition. The findings pointed to a modest but real difference in the rate at which birth defects occurred.
The mechanisms behind the link are not yet fully understood. Researchers have proposed several possible explanations, including the chronic inflammation associated with endometriosis, the hormonal environment the condition creates, and the medications sometimes used to manage it before or during pregnancy.
Clinicians who treat women with endometriosis have increasingly emphasized the importance of preconception counseling, meaning conversations between patients and their doctors about the potential risks before a pregnancy begins. The new findings are likely to be part of those conversations going forward.
The study did not suggest that women with endometriosis should avoid pregnancy or that a birth defect outcome is likely. The word slightly was used deliberately in the research to convey that the absolute increase in risk remains small even if it is statistically significant. Researchers stressed that most women with endometriosis go on to have healthy pregnancies.
Endometriosis has historically been underfunded and understudied relative to how many people it affects. Advocates for women's health have long pushed for more research into the condition's effects across a patient's full reproductive lifespan, and studies like this one represent progress in building that evidence base. Further research is expected to examine which specific types of birth defects showed the strongest association and whether certain subgroups of patients with endometriosis face higher risk than others.
