Researchers from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, George Washington University, and the Endometriosis Association conducted a large cross-sectional survey examining health conditions associated with endometriosis. The study included 3,680 women with surgically confirmed endometriosis and was published in Human Reproduction (2002;17(10):2715–2724).
Compared with the general population, women with endometriosis reported markedly higher rates of several chronic and immune-related conditions. Allergies were reported in more than 60% of women with endometriosis, compared with approximately 18% in the general population. Hypothyroidism was reported to be seven times more common, chronic fatigue syndrome more than 100 times more common, and fibromyalgia nearly twice as common among women with endometriosis.
The survey also found higher reported rates of autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjögren’s syndrome, in women with endometriosis.
As a cross-sectional study, these findings do not establish cause and effect. However, they suggest that endometriosis may be associated with broader immune and inflammatory patterns, highlighting the importance of viewing the condition in a systemic—not solely gynecologic—context.
